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PRESSPRESS RELEASE

No. 16/PR/II/2005

OFFICIAL VISIT OF MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE
KINGDOM OF BELGIUM TO INDONESIA
11-13 FEBRUARY 2005

The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium H.E. Karel de GUCHT and his entourage will pay an official visit to Indonesia, from 11-13 February 2005. This visit is the first to Asia including Indonesia since his appointment as Foreign Minister. During the visit, Minister de GUCHT plans to pay a courtesy call to the President and Vice President. He is also scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia on 12 February 2005.

Minister de GUCHT and his entourage will also visit Aceh on 13 February 2005.

The two Foreign Minister will discuss efforts to intensify bilateral cooperation as well as the issues related to the cooperation on the aftermath of tsunami disaster, particularly reconstruction and rehabilitation in Aceh.

For the emergency relief in Aceh, the Belgium has contributed medicines and medical equipments, foods, clean water equipments and deployment B-FAST (Belgian First Aid and Support Team) as well as providing a military plan A-130 to accelerate the distribution of the said materials.

In the last five years, Indonesia enjoys a trade surplus with Belgium. In the period of January - August 2004, total trade between two countries reached US$ 745,22 millions. Total Indonesian export to Belgium reached US$ 575,463 millions and import from Belgium US$ 169,757. The approved Belgium investment in Indonesia in January-October 2004 is US $ 91.9 millions (20 projects) compared to the approved investment in 2003 which reached 5,9 millions (6 projects).

Jakarta, 11February 2005

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