Suriname president expected in Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): Suriname President R.R. Venetiaan is scheduled to make a state visit to Indonesia beginning today.

Venetiaan will be accompanied by his wife, at least four cabinet ministers and a host of entrepreneurs during the four-day visit, the first ever by a Suriname president, according to a statement by Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono.

Indonesia and Suriname are bound by tradition for they were both colonies of the Netherlands at one time and many Indonesians, particularly Javanese, were shipped there as plantation workers during the Dutch colonial era.

Now, the descendants of the Javanese make up about 15 percent of the 413,000 Suriname population.

Venetiaan will also be traveling to Bandung and Yogyakarta during his stay in Indonesia.

A new trade cooperation agreement will also be signed by the foreign ministers of the two countries during his stay.

Indonesia and Suriname have had diplomatic relations, initially at consulate general level since 1964 and elevated to embassy after Suriname became fully independent in 1975.

Suriname is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement which is currently chaired by Indonesia.

The two countries signed a technical cooperation agreement in 1990 and an economic and technical agreement in 1992. Trade between them amounts to a meager $1.9 million a year, with Indonesia, which exports textiles, garments and handicrafts, running a surplus. (emb)