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Russia seeks stronger ties with Indonesia
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo welcomes Russian Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov (left) when the latter visited the State Palace in Jakarta, on Jan
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span class="inline inline-center">President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo welcomes Russian Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov (left) when the latter visited the State Palace in Jakarta, on Jan. 8. During their meeting they discussed the efforts of both countries to improve their economic cooperation and the planned Jokowi's visit to Russia in May. (Antara/Yudhi Mahatma)
Russia is seeking stronger relations with Indonesia in an effort to boost economic and other forms of cooperation between the two countries, according to Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Mikhail Galuzin.
'We would like to see greater economic exchange between Russia and Indonesia,' Galuzin said on Friday, adding that his country was also interested in increasing the exchange of tourists between both nations.
The ambassador said Indonesia remains an important partner of Russia, displayed by the recent official visits to Jakarta made by Russian Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov and the Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, during which the prospect of cooperation in the area of security and defense was explored.
Galuzin said that Russia would like to see more cooperation for mutually beneficial economic integration in the Asia Pacific region and expressed his enthusiasm about the response to President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's confirmation of the Russia-ASEAN commemorative summit in May.
Jokowi will visit Russia to attend the forthcoming summit in Sochi in an effort to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries.
Broad prospects for cooperation had been opened by the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin on beginning consultations between the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and ASEAN on building economic partnership, Galuzin said.
The ambassador reiterated Russia's disinterest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, saying the agreement lacked transparency while emphasizing the potential of cooperation between the three aforementioned organizations.
Jokowi has invited Putin to be an observer at the Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to be held in Jakarta on Mar. 6-7, with his attendance still yet to be confirmed. Russia is one of four countries that has been invited as observers of the OIC Summit on the issue of Palestine.
Galuzin said Russia remained one of the strongest supporters of Palestine's independence. (bbn)
