BRATISLAVA, October 10, (WEBNOVINY) — Slovakia’s President Ivan Gasparovic began his state visit to Indonesia in the presidential palace in Jakarta on Monday, where Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono received him. According to Gasparovic, the first state visit of the president of Slovakia to Indonesia will be a strong signal to enhance mutual cooperation on all levels. “I am very happy to be accompanied by a large delegation of entrepreneurs, which will contribute to increasing the dynamics of economic cooperation,” Gasparovic said. Since 2009, already four Slovak-Indonesian business forums have been held. In recent years, the balance of mutual trade has been in favor of Indonesia, which cannot be considered satisfactory, the Slovak president commented.
President Gasparovic is convinced that Slovakia can contribute to economic cooperation in construction of power plants, high-voltage distribution stations, power distribution networks, transformer stations, and cooperation in farming. The president went on to say that there is cooperation potential in nuclear energy and Slovak exports of military technology to Indonesia, in building water treatment facilities, and others. The president appreciated Indonesia’s progress in building democracy and economy over the past decade.
Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono supports the idea of intensifying cooperation in economy, agriculture, and food safety. He appreciated the forming cooperation between the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra and Indonesian universities. According to Yudhoyon, there is wide cooperation potential in tourism. According to him, tighter cooperation of universities and science institutes is one of the priorities. “I hope that the economies of the eurozone and the U.S.A. will consolidate,” the Indonesian president said in connection with the sovereign debt crisis in the EU and the U.S.A.
Gasparovic is convinced that the prepared agreements that representatives of the two countries are to sign at the business forum on Tuesday will contribute to intensifying mutual relations. Economy Mister Juraj Miskov, parliamentary deputy and chairman of the Group of Friendship with Indonesian Republic Lubomir Vazny and about twenty Slovak entrepreneurs and representatives of the Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry are part of the president’s delegation.
The head of state continued the visit with a meeting of Speaker of Indonesian Parliament Marzuki Alie. Gasparovic highlighted Indonesia’s importance in south-eastern Asia and its authority on the international scene with a growing potential. Marzuki Alie stressed that Indonesia wants to continue the democratization and reform process, while concentrating on assistance in democratic efforts and maintaining stability and security in other countries within the region, too. The speaker of Indonesian parliament accentuated Slovakia’s position within the EU and NATO. Marzuki Alie expressed concerns over a potential spill-over of the financial and debt crisis from Europe to Asia. He said he believes efforts of the European Union to secure the eurozone’s stability.
President Ivan Gasparovic welcomed the restoration of the Group of Friendship between the Indonesian and Slovak parliaments in March 2010. „The Slovak Republic appreciates Indonesia’s growing importance in the world. In particular in G20 and in ASEAN, as well as successes of economic reforms, contributing to positive economic growth,” Gasparovic said. President’s spokesman Marek Trubac provided this information to Slovak media.
SITA