Swedes offered visa on arrival

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Thu, 03/23/2006 8:42 AM

JAKARTA: Swedish visitors to the country can now get visas on arrival, a move which observers say highlights the improved relations between the two countries after Jakarta signed a peace deal last year with Acehnese rebels.

Many Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders were given exile in Sweden before the truce in Helsinki was signed by the government and GAM on Aug. 15.

Indonesia reopened its diplomatic mission in Stockholm after the deal. Earlier, the government had accused Sweden of protecting exiled GAM leaders by granting them Swedish citizenship.

The visa-on-arrival policy was made effective on March 15. ""It has been issued to boost tourist numbers and cooperation efforts between the two countries,"" immigration office spokesman Soepriatna Anwar said Wednesday.

Sweden joins 36 countries eligible for the visas. --JP

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