Trade links dominate Bhutto visit
Trade links dominate Bhutto visit
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto and Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto yesterday agreed that the two countries' private sectors should take the lead in forging closer economic ties between the two nations.
"The two leaders agreed to boost further economic and commercial relations in the context of South-South cooperation," Indonesian Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said of the meeting yesterday, which took place at Merdeka Palace.
"The business private sectors of the two countries should lead the way and engage with one another more frequently through mutual visits and getting to know one another's products and capabilities," he said, adding that Soeharto also commended the large Pakistani business contingent accompanying Bhutto.
The two leaders later witnessed the signing of memoranda of understanding on economic and technical cooperation and on investment guarantees by their foreign ministers.
Accompanied by her husband Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto arrived here on Thursday for a three-day visit primarily aimed at expanding Pakistan's business opportunities in the region.
She visited Brunei before coming to Indonesia.
Her entourage includes five cabinet ministers and some 80 Pakistani business leaders.
While economic matters were high on the two leaders' agenda, Bhutto also expressed Pakistan's desire to join the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
The ARF is a regional security dialog hosted by members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The annual meeting involves the seven ASEAN states along with Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United States, China, Russia, Papua New Guinea, Cambodia and Laos.
"Indonesia will forward the request and discuss it with other ASEAN members," Moerdiono said.
Later in the afternoon, Bhutto further underscored the primary aim of her visit here by attending a luncheon hosted by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) at the Hilton Hotel.
Witnessed by the prime minister, businessmen from both countries signed several memoranda of understanding which included cooperation in infrastructure development and financial services.
"I am sure that closer relations can help increase the balance of trade between the two countries which currently hovers at around US$215 million," said Kadin Chairman Aburizal Bakrie.
Meanwhile the president of Indonesia's Bukaka company, Fadel Muhammad, said his firm had just forged greater cooperation with Pakistan's National Power Construction Corporation, worth some $400 million, to build roads, bridges and clean water facilities.
Bhutto herself noted the tremendous potential for economic cooperation between Indonesia and Pakistan which dates back from the early days of independence.
She said she would also welcome cooperation with Indonesia in oil and gas refining.
Indonesian State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie said on Wednesday that Pakistan is ready to buy 15 N-250 planes built by IPTN, the state-owned aircraft manufacturing company.
Bhutto yesterday took time to meet with her old friend Megawati Soekarnoputri who currently heads the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). The two have known each other since childhood when their fathers ruled their respective countries.
Benazir is daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who was an important political figure in the 1960s and rose to become prime minister of Pakistan in 1971. Megawati is daughter of Indonesia's first president Sukarno.
"I used to call Benazir's father uncle," Megawati told reporters after her meeting at the State Guest House.
She explained that their two families had been close and that the meeting had been very friendly.
Megawati commented that during their discussion, Bhutto said she was impressed at the number of women active on Indonesia's political scene.
President Soeharto's eldest daughter, businesswoman Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, a day earlier also made it a point to pay a courtesy call on Bhutto.
Bhutto yesterday left Jakarta for a night on the holiday resort island of Bali before flying home today. (mds)
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