RI, Finland to promote cooperation
RI, Finland to promote cooperation
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto and Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari agreed yesterday to improve ties and further promote economic activity between Indonesia and Finland.
During a meeting at Merdeka Palace yesterday, the two- presidents agreed to increase economic cooperation and improve upon the marginal value of two-way trade which currently stands at about US$300 million.
The Finnish President arrived here on Wednesday for a three- day state visit, the first overseas trip he has made outside Europe since assuming the presidency.
He leaves Indonesia this morning to continue his journey to Bangkok.
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said that Indonesia wanted to improve its balance of trade which at present heavily favors Finland. Indonesia currently bears a deficit of some $180 million in relation to the Scandinavian country.
He said one of the issues which was discussed further during a parallel meeting between ministers of the two countries was that of the high tariff on Indonesian plywood entering Finland.
On the political side, Moerdiono said that Soeharto had explained the integration of East Timor into Indonesia to Ahtisaari.
During the meeting, President Soeharto called on Finland to participate in the trilateral financing mechanism which promotes South-South development cooperation through third country financing.
Indonesia, as chair of the 111-nation Non-Aligned Movement, has been advocating such a financing mechanism to help the development of the Third World countries.
This point was touched upon again by Soeharto during the evening's state dinner when he said "we hope that Finland will actively participate in the Movement's efforts to promote economic cooperation."
Earlier in the afternoon President Ahtisaari attended the inauguration of the Finland-Indonesia Business Council, which was held by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Finnish Embassy and several Finnish business groups already active in Indonesia or the region.
Three Indonesian cabinet ministers who attended the ceremony were Coordinating Minister for Industry and Trade Hartarto, Minister of Trade Satrio B. Joedono and Minister of Forestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo.
The Finland-Indonesia Business Council appointed Sukanto Tanoto, the president of Raja Garuda Mas Group, as its chairman.
The ceremony was attended by various executives of Indonesian firms, most notably those in the pulp and paper and the timber industries. These included Eka Tjipta Widjaja of the Sinar Mas Group and Joso Gautama of the Barito Pacific Timber Group. (hdj/mds)