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Yudhoyono to visit Turkey to boost ties
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will be the first Indonesian President to visit Turkey in two decades next week, to boost ties with the nation that has become increasingly strategic in the Middle East talks
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resident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will be the first Indonesian President to visit Turkey in two decades next week, to boost ties with the nation that has become increasingly strategic in the Middle East talks.
Yudhoyono will be in Ankara and Istanbul from June 28 to July 1 to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and address a business forum after both leaders attend the G20 Summit in Toronto at the weekend.
Relations between Turkey and Indonesia will likely draw closer as both countries seek to play a bigger role on the international stage, specially on the Middle East issues and the Iranian nuclear row.
Turkish Ambassador to Indonesia Aydin Evirgen said Monday both leaders would discuss bilateral, regional and international issues and would see ministers from both countries signing a number of cooperations from maritime, energy, small and medium enterprises, culture, technology and media program exchanges.
Economic relations remains the main pillar in the diplomacy of the two Muslim majority countries but, Evirgen said, they were looking forward to developing cooperations in politics, including the possibility of teaming up on Middle East talks.
Turkey, a US ally, has become increasingly involved in Middle East negotiations in recent years, flexing its diplomatic muscle in the region that has seen an escalation in tensions over the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
Prime Minister Erdogan lambasted Israel for its attack on Gaza in December 2008. Ankara also recently recalled its ambassador to Israel following an Israeli military raid on a Gaza-bound aid vessel in which eight Turkish activists were killed.
“We share many similar views on international issues. Indonesia gave a strong and prompt reaction to the Israeli attack on the aid flotilla,” said Evirgen.
Indonesia, which has no diplomatic relations with Israel, is a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause. Twelve Indonesian activists were in fact aboard the Mavi Marmara, one of the ships that attempted to run the naval blockade of Gaza.
Jakarta has also greeted Turkey’s initiative in taking charge of the nuclear swap agreement with Iran, which many in the West have denounced as deficient.
Turkey and Brazil coordinated to sign a new deal with Iran whereby Tehran would send low-enriched uranium to Turkey in return for enriched fuel for a research reactor.
Both Indonesia and Turkey see the main problem hampering progress on the Iranian issue rested in the lack of trust between Tehran and the West, said Evirgen. Jakarta has said that it also sought to play a role in Iranian dispute although praised that Ankara’s and Brasilia’s concrete initiative.
As part of it’s diplomacy, Tehran has called for Israel to ratify the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which would require the nuclear armed state to open its doors to International Atomic and Energy Agency inspectors.
Yudhoyono’s meeting with Erdogan may also touch on bilateral trade disputes, with Turkish wheat and flour companies facing accusations of product dumping.
Wheat and flour are Turkey’s main export to Indonesia. Bilateral trade between Indonesia and Turkey stood at US$2 billion in 2008 and both countries have set targets of $5 billion in bilateral trade in the next two or three years.
