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.