Towards a closer partnership
Towards a closer partnership
Message from EU Presidency
It is a great honor for me to send a message to the Indonesian
people on behalf of the Presidency of the European Union on the
occasion of Europe Day 2005. The 18-month long Dutch Presidency
of the EU in Indonesia is coming to its end, and it is safe to
say that these last 18 months have brought highly intense and
challenging developments to Indonesia.
Regarding the Dutch Presidency and its agenda, we identified
four subjects in the field of the EU's foreign policy, and one of
them is Asia. At the moment everyone obviously thinks of the
tsunami when thinking of Asia. The television images of this
disaster were shocking, but reality is even more overwhelming.
Nature has made clear to us in a most terrible way how countries
and peoples that live thousands of kilometers apart are still
connected to one another. There was immediately a heartfelt need
for many European citizens to express their solidarity with the
victims in words and actions.
But I have much confidence in the strong sense for
entrepreneurship and the belief in one's own strength that will
help Indonesia to recover and fully take part in Asia's rapid
economic and political development. Asia is quickly gaining
international weight: Non-proliferation, the campaign against
terrorism, political stability, human rights, trade and
development cooperation are all subjects of great importance in
our relations with Asia. Therefore, it is very much in the
European Union's interest to further upgrade and intensify its
relationship with Asia.
The EU is Indonesia's second largest trading partner after
Japan as well as the largest investor. The bigger and more united
Europe becomes, the greater its global interest will be. The
benefit of stability of market access and competitive exposure in
an internal market made up of 25 countries stimulates the EU4s
economy as a whole and will be beneficial for our trading
partners as well.
Besides the funds that were made available because of the
tsunami, EU member states provide aid to Indonesia through an
array of programs across a number of fields. Basic education is
one of the main sectors of our assistance to Indonesia. The
process of decentralization also poses a great challenge for
Indonesia. Through the World Bank Consultative Group on Indonesia
there is a constructive dialogue between donor countries and the
Indonesian government on dealing with this. Natural resource
management is another challenge that requires urgent attention.
Launched in 1992, development programs in this sector have
focused mainly on forestry management and aim generally to
promote the basic principles of conservation and sustainable
development.
The EU also provides significant support to the process of
political reform and democratization in Indonesia. The EU was one
of the leading international donors supporting Indonesia's first
democratic parliamentary elections since the fall of the Soeharto
Government in 1999 and was again engaged in supporting last
year's legislative and presidential elections. This is a clear
evidence of the EU's willingness and commitment to support and
assist Indonesia through the transition that the country and its
people are now going through.
We are confident that the good relations between Europe and
Indonesia will be deepened and enhanced in the coming years. It
is a privilege for me to send my compliments and assurances of
continued support to the people of Indonesia.
Ruud Treffers
Ambassador of the Netherlands to Indonesia
Message from EU Presidency
It is a great honor for me to send a message to the Indonesian
people on behalf of the Presidency of the European Union on the
occasion of Europe Day 2005. The 18-month long Dutch Presidency
of the EU in Indonesia is coming to its end, and it is safe to
say that these last 18 months have brought highly intense and
challenging developments to Indonesia.
Regarding the Dutch Presidency and its agenda, we identified
four subjects in the field of the EU's foreign policy, and one of
them is Asia. At the moment everyone obviously thinks of the
tsunami when thinking of Asia. The television images of this
disaster were shocking, but reality is even more overwhelming.
Nature has made clear to us in a most terrible way how countries
and peoples that live thousands of kilometers apart are still
connected to one another. There was immediately a heartfelt need
for many European citizens to express their solidarity with the
victims in words and actions.
But I have much confidence in the strong sense for
entrepreneurship and the belief in one's own strength that will
help Indonesia to recover and fully take part in Asia's rapid
economic and political development. Asia is quickly gaining
international weight: Non-proliferation, the campaign against
terrorism, political stability, human rights, trade and
development cooperation are all subjects of great importance in
our relations with Asia. Therefore, it is very much in the
European Union's interest to further upgrade and intensify its
relationship with Asia.
The EU is Indonesia's second largest trading partner after
Japan as well as the largest investor. The bigger and more united
Europe becomes, the greater its global interest will be. The
benefit of stability of market access and competitive exposure in
an internal market made up of 25 countries stimulates the EU4s
economy as a whole and will be beneficial for our trading
partners as well.
Besides the funds that were made available because of the
tsunami, EU member states provide aid to Indonesia through an
array of programs across a number of fields. Basic education is
one of the main sectors of our assistance to Indonesia. The
process of decentralization also poses a great challenge for
Indonesia. Through the World Bank Consultative Group on Indonesia
there is a constructive dialogue between donor countries and the
Indonesian government on dealing with this. Natural resource
management is another challenge that requires urgent attention.
Launched in 1992, development programs in this sector have
focused mainly on forestry management and aim generally to
promote the basic principles of conservation and sustainable
development.
The EU also provides significant support to the process of
political reform and democratization in Indonesia. The EU was one
of the leading international donors supporting Indonesia's first
democratic parliamentary elections since the fall of the Soeharto
Government in 1999 and was again engaged in supporting last
year's legislative and presidential elections. This is a clear
evidence of the EU's willingness and commitment to support and
assist Indonesia through the transition that the country and its
people are now going through.
We are confident that the good relations between Europe and
Indonesia will be deepened and enhanced in the coming years. It
is a privilege for me to send my compliments and assurances of
continued support to the people of Indonesia.
Ruud Treffers
Ambassador of the Netherlands to Indonesia