[Kabar-indonesia] Indonesia says little chance to open ties with Israel

[Joyo at aol.com]

also: Brosh: breakthrough in relations between Israel
and Indonesia

Indonesia says little chance to open ties with Israel

Jakarata, July 3 ((Xinhua) -- The Indonesian Foreign
Minister said Monday his government will never
establish diplomatic ties with Israel until it can
reach a peaceful settlement with Palestine.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, is
a staunch supporter of the Palestinian struggle for
nationhood.

"We will not establish diplomatic ties with Israel
until Palestine and Israel reach peaceful settlement,"
Hassan Wirajuda said at the parliament compound here.

The government, he said, strongly condemned Israel's
recent military operation in Gaza and demanded the
release of arrested Palestinian officials.

"The use of military forces has caused human impacts
and is against the international law," said Wirajuda.

In an earlier hearing with the House of
Representatives' commission one overseeing foreign
affairs, legislator Marzuki Darusman suggested a
controversial idea of opening diplomatic ties with
Israel to allow Indonesia's stronger role in helping
the Palestinian people and settling conflicts in the
region.

The statement only triggered protest from fellow
legislator Abdillah Thoha from the Islamic-based
National Mandate Party (PAN).

"It makes no sense to establish ties with Israel
because the preamble of the 1945 Constitution bans us
from opening diplomatic ties with any occupying
country," said Thoha.

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Port2port (Israel) 
July 3. 2006

Brosh: breakthrough in relations between Israel and
Indonesia

The Manufacturers Association of Israel ( MAI ) signed
last week its first economic agreement with Indonesia
to cooperate in business & industrial matters.

The agreement was signed by MAI President Shraga Brosh
and Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
president Mohamad Hidayat.

According to the agreement the two bodies would work
to exchange business information, advance joint
business projects and help Indonesian & Israeli
companies in their activities in Israel and in
Indonesia. Brosh and Hidayat announced after the
signing that a joint working committee was formed to
ensure the agreement is implemented.

After the ceremony Brosh said that "Indonesia can be a
central market for exporting Israeli goods to
Southeast Asia," Brosh added that "I also see great
importance in strengthening economic ties with the
world's largest Muslim country."

Trade with Indonesia, which has no diplomatic ties
with Israel, reached approximately $160 million in
2005, of which just $14m. were Israeli exports, mainly
in the chemicals and electronics industries.

Imports from Indonesia which was $140m.were mainly in
electronics products, plastics and rubber. ( in 2004
total bilateral trade was $120m of which $11m were
Israeli exports and $108m imports ).

Brosh noted that the bilateral agreement would
increase trade between the two countries four-fold
within four years, to reach over $600 M by 2010.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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