Syria wants to give new life to relations with Indonesia

Syria wants to give new life to relations with Indonesia

Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Since Asia is now poised to become the new strategic hub in
international trade and politics, Syria -- an influential
regional power in the volatile Middle East -- wants to raise its
economic and commercial relationship with Indonesia, the third
biggest regional power in Asia, extensively to a level
commensurate with its political relationship.

Syria, which has a long and rich history, has very close and
strategic ties with two Asian giants: China and India.

"Syrian President Bashar al-Assad wants to give new life to
the existing excellent relations with Indonesia," new Syrian
Ambassador to Indonesia Mohamad Darwish Baladi told The Jakarta
Post in a recent interview in Jakarta.

On a political level, Indonesia and Syria -- both Muslim-
majority states -- have enjoyed close ties since the
establishment of diplomatic relations in 1950.

But Ambassador Baladi, who submitted his credentials to
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Feb. 1, 2005,
said the economic ties did not reflect the two countries'
potential.

"Though last year our bilateral trade improved compared to
2003, the figures were still very small. I have to work hard to
bring together both countries' businesspeople to improve the
situation," Baladi, who began his diplomatic career in Indonesia
in 1976, said.

The total value of bilateral trade plunged to US$47.08 million
in 2003 from $74.69 million in 2002.

Thanks to the efforts made by Baladi and his office, the trend
reversed in 2004. By September last year, bilateral trade had
reached $41.13 million and was poised to surpass 2003's total
figure.

Before becoming ambassador, Baladi was charge d'affaires of
the Syrian Embassy in Jakarta from 2003 to 2005.

The balance of trade has always been in favor of Indonesia
(see graph) for many years. But according to Baladi the trade
must increase manifold.

"We mainly import tea, coffee and palm oil from Indonesia. Our
country's top exports are phosphate, cotton, dried fruits, wheat
and vegetables. I see a huge potential market for our cotton and
wheat in Indonesia," Baladi said.

Every year, Indonesia imports a large quantity of cotton and
wheat from Australia, India and other countries.

"Indonesian businessmen can go to Syria and see for themselves
the situation and do business and their counterparts can do the
same. I will facilitate the meetings between both countries'
businesspeople," Baladi said while emphasizing that Syria's $58
billion market would be attractive for Indonesian businessmen.

On the cultural front, Syria and Indonesia signed a memorandum
of understanding on cultural exchange in 2001. Baladi said things
were not moving as expected. Indonesia's former foreign minister
Alwi Shihab, now coordinating minister for people's welfare, also
echoed the same when he visited Damascus in 2001.

"Our bilateral ties with Syria are good, but they are under-
utilized. There's a need for a close relationship between the
leaders of both countries to exchange information," Alwi said in
Damascus at that time.

That is why, al-Assad appointed an expert on Indonesia as his
ambassador to boost ties with Indonesia.

Syria's ties with Indonesia go back to the initial years of
Indonesia's independence.

"We recognized Indonesia in 1947 just two years after its
proclamation of independence in 1945. Syria, as a member of the
United Nations Security Council, played an important role in
securing international support for Indonesia in 1949," Baladi
said.

As recognition of Syria's help, the Indonesian government
honored our then permanent representative Faris Alkhoury, who
later became Syria's prime minister, at the UN with an award,
Baladi said.

The Syrian government donated 60 tons of relief supplies for
tsunami victims in Aceh.

From the Indonesian perspective, Syria is an important country
in the Middle East. The relationship with Syria fits into the
Susilo administration's goal for Indonesia, as the world's most
populous Muslim nation, to play an active role in Middle East.

"We welcome Indonesia's role in the Middle East. We see it as
a positive development and we do not have any differences. Syria
is committed to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace that is
based on UN resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference and the
land for peace principle," Baladi said.

While mentioning the role of Syria in the region, the
ambassador, whose country like Indonesia is a strong supporter of
the Palestinian cause and lost its Golan Heights territory to
Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israel War, emphasized the truth of the
old adage: "There can be no war in the Middle East without Egypt,
but there can be no peace in the Middle East without Syria."

Since Syria, a country of 18 million people, is going to
participate in the Asian-African Summit in Jakarta in April,
Baladi said it would be a good opportunity to strengthen
bilateral ties.

"Syria will send a high-level delegation to Jakarta. Our
president or prime minister will probably attend the summit. That
will give a big boost to our relations when both leaders meet
face-to-face," Baladi said.