Sporting links to boost Indonesia-Portugal relations

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Portugal is offering Indonesia its expertise and experience in sports in a move aimed at bolstering diplomatic ties between the two countries on a people-to-people level.

The offer was conveyed by Portuguese Sports and Youth Minister, Jose Lello, during his three-day visit to Indonesia, where he met with President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Indonesian sports officials.

Accompanied by Portuguese Ambassador to Indonesia Ana Gomes, Lello met Transportation Minister Agum Gumelar, who also chairs the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI), and Wismoyo Arismunandar, the chairman of the National Sports Council (KONI), on Thursday.

"We want to offer our expertise and cooperation in sports, such as by sending our experts here for seminars or training sessions with Indonesian coaches," he said.

"This way we can work together to improve the quality of Indonesian sports."

Lello pointed out that sports were now more complex than in the past and that more disciplines were now involved.

"There are many aspects such as nutrition, physiology and coaching methods. And the current global focus is on anti-doping principles," he said.

"I can't elaborate on the details of the cooperation because this is only the first contact. But we are preparing protocols to create cooperation projects."

Lello is the second Portuguese minister to visit Indonesia after Foreign Minister Jaime Gama in 1999, when both countries agreed to restore their diplomatic ties.

Portugal cut its ties with Indonesia in 1975 following Indonesia's integration of Portuguese Timor, now known as East Timor.

Meanwhile Gomes, the first Portuguese ambassador to Jakarta since the restoration of diplomatic ties, said the minister's visit represented a new way forward in promoting both countries.

"We must forget the mutual ignorance of both countries over the past 25 years and promote a better understanding, which can be acquired through cultural exchanges as well as sports," she said.

Portugal, one of the powerhouses of European soccer, has qualified for the 2002 World Cup finals, to be co-hosted by Japan and South Korea. Portugal has been drawn in group D together with South Korea, the U.S. and Poland.

"We are in a rather comfortable group and I am pretty sure that the Portuguese national team can reach the quarterfinals," said Lello.

Portugal faces a busy soccer schedule over the next few years, particularly when it hosts the 2004 EuroCup. A semifinalist in the 2000 tournament, Portugal beat out Austria, Spain and Hungary to win the right to host the prestigious event.

"We are building seven new stadiums and renovating three others, with a total budget of US$1 billion. The project will be funded mainly by the private sector with the government contributing 25 percent of the project funds," said Lello.

"Our actual bid was only to provide six or eight stadiums but then we saw it as an opportunity to have an equal spread of development in various regions."

"So each region will have its own stadium to be proud of."