RI, Bangladesh move to up economic and trade ties

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia and Bangladesh signed on Saturday agreements aimed at boosting economic and trade ties between the two countries.

The two agreed to establish a joint commission for bilateral relations, promote comprehensive trade and economic partnership, and cooperate on tourism.

Visiting Bangladeshi Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and host President Megawati Soekarnoputri witnessed the signing ceremony at Merdeka Palace, following talks between delegations from the two countries.

"We have agreed to continue to make an effort to increase the value as well as volume of our trade and investments," Megawati said in a media statement issued after meeting PM Zia.

The two countries also agreed to expand cooperation in agriculture.

"The prime minister's visit will further strengthen our already friendly ties through wider and mutually beneficial cooperation," the President said.

In 2001 and 2002, Bangladeshi exports to Indonesia stood at US$5.6 million, while imports were valued at $173.6 million. There is currently no Indonesian investment in Bangladesh.

Zia's visit, her first to Indonesia, is a reciprocal one after Megawati visited Dhaka in June last year.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Saturday that during the meeting Zia also asked Indonesia to facilitate Bangladesh's entry into the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

"ASEAN has decided to accept new members for ARF, with Pakistan the first country to join the security forum; we are considering the requests of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and East Timor to be part of ARF," Hassan said.

Hassan was referring to the security forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with major countries such as the United States, China, Japan, South Korea and India.

In the meeting, Hassan said, Indonesia also supported the nomination of Bangladesh as secretary-general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

"Bangladesh also supports our nomination to be a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2007-2008 term," Hassan said.

Later in the day Zia paid a courtesy call on Vice President Hamzah Haz and held a meeting with the Bangladeshi community here.

Megawati hosted a state dinner for Zia at the State Palace on Saturday evening. The prime minister was scheduled to depart for Brunei Darussalam on Sunday.