Syrian PM due here to forge bilateral ties
Syrian PM due here to forge bilateral ties
JAKARTA (JP): Syrian Prime Minister Mahmoud Al-Zoubi and his
entourage are due to arrive here today for a five-day visit to
strengthen bilateral trade and other relations.
"The main purpose of this visit is to boost trade and economic
ties, although the volume (of bilateral trade) is still very
low," Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said yesterday.
He announced the visit after meeting President Soeharto at the
Bina Graha presidential office.
Al-Zoubi's entourage includes Foreign Minister Faruq el-Shara.
Only the first two days of the visit will be used for state
matters. The other three days will be for informal matters.
"The Prime Minister's visit coincides with 50th anniversary of
Syrian Arab Republic's recognition of Indonesia's independence,"
Moerdiono said.
Indonesia proclaimed its independence in 1945, and two years
later Syria became the third country to recognize its
independence.
The two countries are members of the Organization of Islamic
Countries and the Non-Aligned Movement. Faruq el-Shara
represented his government at a NAM summit in Jakarta five years
ago.
President Soeharto will hold a banquet at the State Palace
this evening for the Syrians.
Tomorrow morning the two heads of government are expected to
hold bilateral talks to discuss regional and international
affairs, including developments in the Middle East.
They will also witness the signing of three bilateral
Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) and one agreement.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas and his counterpart,
Faruq el-Shara, will sign the MOUs on regular bilateral
consultation, tourism cooperation and the avoidance of double
taxation. They will also sign an agreement on banking.
Indonesia's non-oil exports to Syria in 1996 were worth
US$33.29 million, up 114.71 percent on US$15.50 million in non-
oil exports in 1995.
Indonesia imported US$14.25 million of goods from Syria in
1996, down 11 percent from US$16.03 million in 1995.
Later this afternoon, the Syrian Prime Minister will meet
members of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He is scheduled to visit the state-owned aircraft maker PT
IPTN and light weapons and ammunition maker PT Pindad in Bandung
on Saturday morning.
He is expected to fly to Bali on Saturday afternoon. He will
stay there until Monday morning, when he departs for Damascus on
a special flight. (06)