Switzerland invites RI to boost trade

JAKARTA (JP): A Swiss delegation led by Federal Councillor Jean-Pascal Delamuraz ended its first five-day economic mission yesterday, inviting Indonesian businessmen to increase exports to its country.

Delamuraz told reporters here that Indonesia, which suffers an average annual trade deficit of US$200 million with Switzerland, can increase its exports to that country, which will cut import tariffs for industrial products, when the new General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) comes to affect early next year.

During its visit here, the delegation met with President Soeharto, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, State Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Coordinating Minister for Industry and Trade Hartarto.

According to the new GATT, developed countries, including Switzerland, are required to cut import tariffs by 33.3 percent from their current levels.

Delamuraz, however, warned that Indonesia should increase the competitiveness of its products, if it wants to compete in the Swiss market, which will be open for every GATT member country.

In a joint press conference with Hartarto yesterday, Delamuraz congratulated Indonesia on its efforts to ratify the new GATT.

Today, the House of Representatives is expected to approve a law supporting the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which will administer the new GATT, in a plenary session.

"It serves as a very good example for the Swiss parliament and Swiss people," Delamuraz told journalists, referring to Indonesia's quick ratification of the WTO.

Delamuraz and Hartarto yesterday witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Bandung Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology St. Gallen-Switzerland on a fellowship program for "reverse engineering."

Reverse engineering is a scientific analysis of existing products, which is used to create new products which will be better, cheaper and more market oriented. (rid)