RI, Netherlands agree on expert exchange

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Netherlands' Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sports have agreed to exchange experts and coaches in seven sports.

Robert de Vries, the Dutch director general for the ministry of sports, told a press conference yesterday that both countries will start to exchange their specialists in soccer, softball, rowing, fencing, badminton, tennis and pencak silat from mid this year to the end of 1999.

In 1997, six Indonesian coaches and one soccer expert will go to the Netherlands for a five-week course.

Two Dutch tennis technical coaches will visit Indonesia for four weeks. The Indonesia Tennis Association may stage a short course for coaches from its provincial branches during their stay.

"The impact would be better if our coaches could teach more Indonesian coaches here than send them to the Netherlands," de Vries said.

One rowing coach and his assistant will also come to Indonesia for a six-week course.

In 1998, three Dutch experts will visit the National Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta for four weeks.

Two pencak silat experts will go to the Netherlands in the same year for a four-week course. One of them is a referee specialist.

De Vries said two Dutch fencing coaches would visit Indonesia for four weeks.

"The plan has been moved forward to 1998, not 1999 as had been planned. Indonesia wants to benefit from its participation in the 1998 Asian Games," he said.

In 1999, two Dutch coaches will visit Indonesia for a four- week softball training.

De Vries said both countries would evaluate the cooperation after the programs were finished.

"We have yet to determine to continue the cooperation. But I'm convinced that there will be another program in the future," he said. (yan)