RI and Egypt should forge closer relations: Soeharto

RI and Egypt should forge closer relations: Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and Egypt should forge an even closer relationship, President Soeharto said on Wednesday.

In his speech accepting the credential letters of Egypt's new ambassador to Indonesia, Mahmoud Mohamed Osman, the President said closer ties between the two are bound to help development in their respective countries.

Soeharto underlined the importance of the Non-Aligned Movement as a vehicle through which developing countries fight for their interests.

Indonesia and Egypt are both leading members of the movement.

This year, during which Indonesia marked its golden anniversary, Soeharto paid tribute to Egypt's role in supporting Indonesia's independence struggle 50 years ago.

Ambassador Osman, 57, is a career diplomat who has served in Pakistan, Canada and the United Nations and was Egypt's ambassador in Kenya in 1986 to 1990. Since then, he has held various government positions, ranging from chief cabinet deputy prime minister, director of department of policy and planning and director of research and political information.

Ambassador Osman was one of two new foreign envoys who presented their letters of credentials to the President at the Merdeka Palace on Wednesday.

The other one was Abdul Momen Choudhury of Bangladesh.

To Ambassador Choudhury, President Soeharto said that Indonesia and Bangladesh should strive to expand their existing relations to encompass the private business sectors of the two countries, as well as the two governments.

Soeharto also expressed his gratitude for Bangladesh's strong support during Indonesia's three-year chairmanship of the Non- Aligned Movement between 1992 and 1995. (emb)