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or many Norwegian women, he is the most handsome minister in Jens Stoltenberg's Cabinet. Some people call him the future prime minister of Norway. He is none other than Norway's popular Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store. Norway considers Indonesia as a privileged partner in Asia. In order to know more about Norway and Indonesia ties, The Jakarta Post's Veeramalla Anjaiah interviewed Store at his office in Oslo recently, while visiting Norway on the invitation of the Norwegian Embassy. The following are the excerpts of the interview.

Question: How does Indonesia figure in your country's foreign policy?

Answer: We know we have differences but I also see that there are interesting similarities. We are both ocean states. We have shared interests in protecting and developing international law, which is a basic for key international interests both in Indonesia and Norway. I think we have a great potential in cooperation in the maritime sector, between industries and also in the energy sector.

Secondly, at the regional level, Indonesia is very important state among ASEAN countries. Norway is a European state. We are now cooperating closely on the initiative that we and Indonesia took on health and foreign policy.

We cooperate on WTO matters. And I think we are demonstrating that in this new global interdependent world, countries such as Indonesia and Norway, different as they may look, have common interests in breaking down the images of a divided world by building bridges and cooperating in concrete areas.

The Prime Minister (Stoltenberg) and the President (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) initiated the inter-cultural media dialogue, which was an illustration of how predominantly Muslim Indonesia and Norway, with a predominantly Christian population, came together in a tense international environment and look for bridges rather than gulfs.

So I think, if we can expand on people-to-people relations, more Norwegians will travel to Indonesia as tourists, and more Norwegians will travel to Indonesia to experience the cultural richness of your country. And I think economic-wise, we have great potential in several technological areas in Indonesia. And it is my government tradition to stimulate that.

You know I think we started to deepen relations, modern relations, with Indonesia in the mid 1990s. Then when the democratic transition came, we added a lot of fuel to that initiative. And during these four years, we have been in power, we have seen Indonesia as a privileged partner. I intend to deepen that relationship

You have good relations with Indonesia at the political level. But if we see the bilateral trade value it is so low. What should be done to boost the bilateral trade?

But that has to be our inspiration (to boost trade). Norway is a very export-oriented country. So shifting our exports to new markets takes time. At this time, you know, (we feel) confidence that gradually Indonesia will proceed to become a more interesting partner and investment destination. I mean until now, I think Indonesia has been considered, rightly or wrongly, as a complicated market with administrative procedures, with suspicions about corruption and the judiciary influencing the climate for investment. As the President moves forward in his campaigns and creating levels of priority, we see that (these issues) start to be resolved.

Is there any chance for Indonesia to become the main target of Norwegian investors?

In our system, it is up to the Norwegian investors (to invest or not). We at the government can (help) create a better environment. Governments cooperate when they have exchanges that create opportunities for business.

I would hope that next time I visit Jakarta, I will be able, perhaps, to invite also Norwegian companies to join me and see we can create the programs which will highlight these business opportunities.

What are your focus areas in Indonesia?

Let me highlight that among the issues, where we are working closely together is the climate change agenda. And there of course, with its (huge) rain forests, Indonesia has been an important partner for us. So we develop our tropical rain forest initiative, with the Prime Minister in Bali to launch the Norwegian initiative for saving the tropical rain forests. We (also) work closely with Brazil and there is also potential to work with Indonesia.

We also focus on shipping and fishing industries. We signed a fishing cooperation agreement with Indonesia a few months ago.

Do you have any plans to establish a strategic partnership with Indonesia?

I think we have one already. In the next parliamentary session, we would try to structure and systemize our cooperation (with Indonesia) in the political, cultural and the economic and technological fields.

We have a broad Asia strategy. We have a particular Norwegian strategy vis-a-vis India and vis-a-vis China. And I think one area we could look into is the potential as to how we could deepen and focus our partnership with Indonesia.

I have now at every General Assembly at the United Nations to work with my Indonesian counterpart on setting and putting key international issues on the agenda.

I find that our partnership is quite effective and quite strategic because we agree on when to launch an initiative together. And I also work closely with your Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu, who I know well. Indonesia and Norway may have some different priorities in WTO, but it is important that we work closely together.

How do you visualize Norway's relations with Indonesia in the next 5 to 10 years?