The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue I/06 – 14 June 2007 The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue I/06 – 14 June 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS POLITICS INDONESIA SUPPORTS PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO KOSOVO PROBLEM 1 ECONOMY VP'S VISIT TO CHINA EXPECTED TO INCREASE ECONOMIC COOPERATION 1 BI'S DECISION TO CUT KEY RATE ON RIGHT TRACK : MINISTER 2 SOCIETY & CULTURE TOURISM DEPARTMENT PREPARING "VISIT INDONESIA YEAR" 3 "SAIL INDONESIA 2007" ATTRACTS PARTICIPANTS FROM 15 COUNTRIES 3 INTERNATIONAL RI, AUSTRALIA ESTABLISH COOPERATION IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY 4 OTHERS 17 COUNTRIES TO PARTICIPATE IN STUDY MEETING ON "UMKM" PRODUCTIVITY AND COMPETITIVENESS 5 EDITORIAL NATIONAL NUCLEAR ENERGY PLAN NEEDS RETHINKING 6 The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue I/06 – 14 June 2007 POLITICS Hassan said the European Union and members of the North Atlantic Treaty INDONESIA SUPPORTS PEACEFUL (NATO) that had successfully stabilized SOLUTION TO KOSOVO PROBLEM Kosovo need not to rush to settle the final status of Kosovo through independence. They have to do it Jakarta - Indonesian foreign minister through peaceful means and in a time Hassan Wirajuda said here on Monday frame, he said. Indonesia supports a peaceful solution to the Kosovo problem, which must be "In other words the sanction sought from an agreement between approach emphasized by the EU namely Serbia and Kosovo. taking Kosovo away from its status as a NATO association and a chance from "Martti Ahtisari in his position as a being an EU member in the future if special envoy of the UN Secretary Serbia rejects its independence must be General in the process of determining changed into a persuasive approach Kosovo's future on March 26, 2007 that gives incentive to Serbia to become submitted a report to the UN Security an EU member as it has been promised Council recommending 'independence before to Kroatia and Bosnia," he said. supervised by the international community'," he said at a meeting with Hassan said the Kosovo problem the House Commission I. would soon be discussd again at the UN He said this means giving Kosovo Security Council with consideration on the same rights and authorities like other Russia's threat to veto if the resolution sovereign countries. The UN Secretary would give independence to it. General fully supported the recommendation, he said. "At present a solution (temporary) is being prepared to give an opportunity to "As a problem, a report and the parties to seek a peaceful solution recommendation towards granting full through negotiations," he said. independence to Kosovo would be (ANTARA ) controversial at the UN Security Council and will group voters that support, reject or abstain," he said. ECONOMY As a member country of the UN Security Council Indonesia will also face VP'S VISIT TO CHINA EXPECTED TO the options, he said. Indonesia has to INCREASE ECONOMIC see the Kosovo problem as part of COOPERATION earlier events to justify its particularity (sui generis), he said. Beijing - Vice President Jusuf Kalla's "It will however be difficult for visit to China from June 6 to 10, 2007, is expected to increase the two countries' Indonesia to accept the sui generis economic cooperation which has so far basis to justify the secession of part of a been running well, chairperson of the country in view of the basic principles of Indonesian embassy's economic section the UN Charter and international law as a form of respect to territorial integrity here Andriana Supandy said on Tuesday. and international sovereignty," he said. 1 The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue I/06 – 14 June 2007 Besides the economic sector, Kalla During the upcoming visit to China, the was also expected to meet local officials vice president is scheduled to hold in different areas including the political meetings with Chinese state companies, and security fields. (ANTARA ) including, China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC), to discuss the BI'S DECISION TO CUT KEY RATE company's investment plan to build a ON RIGHT TRACK: MINISTER 517-kilometer long railway track in Indonesia's Central Kalimantan Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for province, she said. Economic Affairs Boediono said Bank Indonesia (the central bank/BI)'s A Memorandum of Understanding decision to cut its benchmark rate by (MoU) on the project had been signed another 25 basis points to 8.75 percent recently by Central Kalimantan matches the country's current macro Governor Teras Narang and CREC's economic conditions. management while Vice President Jusuf Kalla was slated to talk about the "It (the interest rate policy) is in line financial scheme for the purpose. with the declining inflation rate, the rupiah’s stable exchange rate, and the During his visit, the vice president strong foreign investment inflows. I think would also hold a meeting with China the policy is on the right track," he said National Offshore Corporation to discuss following a limited cabinet meeting here a plan to send 2.6 million metric tons of on Thursday. liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Indonesia's Papua province to China's The drop in the key rate known as BI Fujian province, Andriana said. Rate was expected to lead to a positive sentiment which would eventually speed "The cooperation will last 25 years as up the growth of the real sector, he said. of 2009 to meet Fujian's increasing need for LNG," she said. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati expressed hope that The Vice President was also the government-set inflation rate target scheduled to meet with Chinese state of 6 percent for 2007 could be achieved, company Sino-Hydro to talk about thereby it provided a leeway for the BI cooperation and study the irrigation Rate to drop further. system in China, she said adding that Sino-Hydro was the company which had However, she added the drop in the built the Jatigede dam in Indonesia's benchmark rate would still have no West Java province. Indonesia needs to impact on the target of the deficit in the learn from China where building 2007 state budget as government irrigation systems is concerned, she spending would also increase. said. "Interest rate will fall and accordingly, Among other important topics in the interest spending and exchange rate for economic sector which will be discussed several instalments on foreign debts will in China was the establishment of a drop. But several spending will also 10,000-megawatt power plant as many increase," she said. (ANTARA ) Chinese companies had won tenders in the project. 2 The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue I/06 – 14 June 2007 adding that the 100 planned events SOCIETY & CULTURE were expected to induce foreign tourists to come to Indonesia. TOURISM DEPARTMENT PREPARING "VISIT INDONESIA The department would also publish a YEAR" booklet listing all the 100 events to be organized in many parts of the country, Jakarta - The government's culture Thamrin said. and tourism department is currently making preparations for the launching of Minister Wacik said his ministry had a "Visit Indonesia Year" in the middle of proposed a budget of Rp153 billion for 2007, a spokesman said. tourism development in 2007. Some 80 percent of the amount was to cover the "A 'Visit Indonesia Year' (VIY) is now cost of promoting Indonesia's tourist in the final phase of preparation. We will destinations through advertisements in launch it in July or August," Culture and international televisions abroad. Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said here (ANTARA) Tuesday. "SAIL INDONESIA 2007" ATTRACTS Speaking after witnessing the signing PARTICIPANTS FROM 15 of a cooperation agreement between the COUNTRIES department and PT. Garuda Indonesia, the minister said the preparations Jakarta - Some 120 boats from 15 included the production of brochures, countries will take part in the "Sail composition and arrangement of Indonesia 2007" race next July, a programs of events. spokesman for the event's organizers said. Meanwhile, Thamrin B Bachri, the culture and tourism department's "Initially, we limited the number of director general of marketing, said VIY participants to 110 boats but later we 2008 would be declared as soon as its decided to accept 10 more in logo was completed. consideration of the great enthusiasm among would-be participants," Raymond "So what we are waiting for now is T Lesmana, chairman of Cinta Bahari the completion of the logo. As soon as Indonesia Foundation, said here the logo and a guide on its use are Monday. finished, we will conduct a soft launching." he said. The complex administrative procedures had forced the organizing He said the most crucial thing in committee to limit the number of organizing the VIY was coordination participants. The procedures included between the department in Jakarta and obtaining Immigration Quarantine the tourism offices in all of the country's permission and Port Clearance, he said. regions on the time and venues of as many as 100 top touristm events during "We still don't have a one-roof facility the year. for these procedures and thus we have to go to several institutions to get the "The events must be prepared and permits and this will take much time," he executed with high accuracy," he said , said. 3 The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue I/06 – 14 June 2007 Among the 15 participing countries cooperation", the Australian Embassy are Germany, Britain, Norway, said in press statement here on Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Wednesday. Italy, the United States, New Zealand and Vanuatu. The June 7 meeting of the Joint Working Group in Science, Innovation, "By taking part in the event, they can Research and Technology (JWG see many tourist destinations in SIRTAI) provided an opportunity for Indonesia," he said, adding the event officials from both countries to take would also bring benefit to the people stock of both the broad range of existing and administrations of the tourist collaboration between Indonesian and destinations.