RI, Japan agree to hold talks every 2 months
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesia and Japan have ended the first round of negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement and agreed to hold comprehensive talks every two months, a senior official at the Ministry of Trade says.
The two-day talks in Jakarta on the Japan-Indonesia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) -- a wider version of a free trade agreement (FTA) -- followed a bilateral agreement between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi last month in Tokyo.
"We agreed to have meetings at least every two months," the official told The Jakarta Post on Sunday confirming earlier reports from Japanese media.
The official went on to say a second meeting would take place early in October with an interim meeting to be held in August or September.
The official refused to be named as the ministry was expecting to make an official statement on Monday.
Separately, Deputy Japanese Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka reported to the Japanese media on Friday the conclusions of the first round of talks, although no specific time frame for the completion of the EPA negotiations was discussed.
The reports said Yabunaka had met with Minister of Trade Mari E. Pangestu on the sidelines of the meeting, during which they agreed to proceed with the negotiations speedily.
Yabunaka led the Japanese delegation, while former ambassador to Japan Soemadi Brotodiningrat, who is now ambassador to the United States, headed the Indonesian delegation.
In the June 2 meeting, Koizumi and Yudhoyono agreed that the two countries would conclude the EPA talks "within a reasonable period of time".
Officials at the ministry earlier said, however, the negotiations would probably take two years but could take 18 months if progress was sped up.
During the first round of talks, the ministry official and Yabunaka said six working sessions were held, discussing trade in goods and services, investment policy, movement of people, intellectual property rights and bilateral cooperation.
"We have not exchanged any formal lists of requests and offers, but it seems it was a good start, maybe because of an eagerness for inviting more investment from the Indonesian side and the accumulated experience of our side through similar talks with the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand," the official said as quoted by Kyodo News.
The Ministry of Trade earlier said that in the agricultural sector, Indonesia had asked Japan to recognize the country as being free from foot-and-mouth disease, so that in the future, Indonesia could export meat and dairy products to Japan.
Indonesia is also seeking Japan's support to strengthen its local tuna fisheries management, as well as to combat illegal fishing in the country's exclusive economic zone.
Japan, meanwhile, has requested that Indonesia explain its investment regulations and reduce or eliminate tariffs on vehicle parts.