Estonian and Finnish Ministers and Entrepreneurs on Joint Visit to Indonesia

24.01.2012 | 12:07

No. 16-EAt his meeting in Jakarta with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty M. Natalegawa, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that Estonia is interested in concluding an agreement for economic co-operation, an agreement for the protection of investments, and an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation.

No. 16-E

At his meeting in Jakarta with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty M. Natalegawa, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that Estonia is interested in concluding an agreement for economic co-operation, an agreement for the protection of investments, and an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation.

The Estonian foreign minister is in Indonesia for a visit together with Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb and an Estonian and Finnish business delegation.

During their meeting, Estonian Foreign Minister Paet and Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty M. Natalegawa spoke about strengthening economic ties and trade relations between Estonia and Indonesia and reciprocal investments. “We hope that the contacts created during this visit between the businesses of Estonia and Indonesia, a country with nearly 260 million residents, will help to strengthen contacts, and that opportunities will be found to begin activities in each other’s countries,” said Paet. “Indonesian entrepreneurs may be interested in Estonia’s convenient location and its well-developed infrastructure for transporting goods to the Baltic Sea region and to Russia,” he added.

Foreign Minister Paet stated that Indonesia is an attractive travel destination for Estonians and therefore Estonia would be interested in appointing two honorary consuls in the near future – one in Jakarta and one on the island of Bali. “Estonia also plans to appoint a non-resident ambassador to Indonesia this year,” he stated.

During Foreign Minister Paet’s meeting with the foreign minister of Indonesia, they also discussed developments in relations between the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). “ASEAN is the second most-integrated regional organisation in the world after the European Union and is therefore a natural partner of the European Union. Estonia is in favour of trade with as few restrictions as possible between the EU and ASEAN,” said Paet. “Estonia supports the continuation of ASEAN’s integration, so that the ASEAN economic union to be created in 2015 will be an economic region with a unified market and production capabilities,” he added. Paet also recognised the activities of Indonesia as the chairman of ASEAN in 2011.

During their meeting minister Paet and Natalagewa also talked about the situations in Myanmar and in North Korea.

From 24-26 January, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet is on a joint visit to Indonesia with Finnish Minister of European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb. The ministers will be accompanied by a 36-member delegation of Estonian and Finnish entrepreneurs. In Jakarta ministers Paet and Stubb will meet with Minister of Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa, Minister of Trade Gita Wirjawani, Minister of Communication and Informatics Tifatul Sembiring, Minister of Health Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, and Minister of Defence Purnomo Yusgiantoro. Both ministers will also participate in an Estonia-Finland-Indonesia business seminar.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/estonian-foreign-ministry/

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