U.S., RI to boost trade ties

U.S., RI to boost trade ties

JAKARTA (JP): A delegation of almost 100 senior U.S. business
executives will be in Jakarta from March 12 to March 14 to
promote U.S.-Indonesia trade investment relations and participate
in a series of programs to understand ASEAN.

The delegation will be led by chairman of the U.S.- ASEAN
Business Council, George David, who is president and CEO of
United Technologies Corporation.

Delegation members include the former U.S. Senator and
Treasury Secretary, Lloyd Bentsen, the former U.S. Secretary of
State, Alexander Haig, American education and public policy
leader Walter Shorenstein, and Laura D'Andrea Tyson, a former
National Economic Advisor.

The first day of the group's visit to Jakarta will include
participation in the first ASEAN Business Summit, being organized
by the ASEAN Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the council said.

At the summit, David will speak on ASEAN: Strategic Realities
in the Global Era. Haig will speak on ASEAN in the Eyes of the
Global Strategist.

On the second day the delegation will participate in bilateral
U.S.-Indonesia activities, the highlight of which will be a
reception and dinner with the coordinating minister for
production and distribution, Hartarto

The group will also hold discussions with the U.S. committee
of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to examine
ways to broaden and deepen the two nations' economic
relationship.

"It is vital that we increase U.S.-Indonesia trade
investment," said the council's president, Ernest Z. Bower.

"Both the U.S. and Indonesia have benefited greatly from the
strong economic relations between our countries but there exists
room for even greater flows of trade, investment, capital, and
technology," he said.

"It is particularly important that we increase links between
U.S. and Indonesian small and medium businesses, accelerate
technology cooperation, and enhance joint human resource
development efforts."

Trade between the U.S. and Indonesia was worth US$12.2 billion
in 1996, up 132 percent from 1990. (hen)