RI, U.S. business sectors stepping up cooperation
RI, U.S. business sectors stepping up cooperation
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and American businessmen agreed
yesterday to deepen cooperation, thereby giving substance to what
they call the Bogor Declaration of APEC leaders.
"We, the business community, are players that will support and
turn the vision of our leaders into reality," declared Tony Agus
Ardie, Chairman of the Indonesian-U.S. Business Committee.
Tony and Russell King, Chairman of the U.S.-Indonesia
Committee of the U.S-ASEAN Business Council, signed a memorandum
of understanding yesterday designed to increase communication
between businessmen of both countries.
The agreement will provide better channels for Indonesian and
American businessmen to come into contact, seek partners and
develop business deals.
Tony, who is also Chairman of the Indokor business group,
attached special importance to the agreement as it will give high
priority to developing small and medium-size enterprises.
"We have agreed to focus attention on small and medium-size
enterprise development because it is vital for the continued
growth of our respective economies," Tony pointed out.
He pointed out that it is small and medium-size businesses
which create most of the new job openings and provide specialized
services and products.
The declaration issued by the economic leaders of the Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation forum at Bogor on Tuesday also
stipulates the crucial role of small and medium-size enterprises
in fueling economic growth in the region.
Implementation
Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Aburizal Bakrie, who witnessed the signing, welcomed the
agreement as an immediate step to implement the APEC leaders'
declaration.
King hailed the agreement as another mechanism to increase
economic ties and interaction between businessmen in the third
and fourth largest populous countries in the world.
Through the mechanism, King added, the Indonesia-U.S. Business
Committee and its American equivalent will increase exchanges of
information, work on business promotion activities and missions.
"Indonesia's opportunities encompass not just the Freeports,
Fluors, General Motors and General Electrics of the business
community but also the small and medium-sized enterprises," King
pointed out.
"What we are doing here is to put some real meat behind the
declaration (of APEC leaders)," noted Bob Driscoll, President of
the U.S-ASEAN Business Council.
The signing ceremony at the Shangri-La Hotel was also attended
by Indonesian business leaders such as A.R. Ramly, Chairman of
Astra International, James Riady of the Lippo Group, Sukamdani S.
Gitosardjono, Chairman of the Sahid Group, and resident American
businessmen and several who came from the U.S. such as Stanley
Russ of the Arkansas Senate. (vin)