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Royal
Visit Seen as Boost for RI Investment
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, was in
Jakarta on Tuesday as a special envoy
for trade and investment, aiming to
strengthen bilateral ties between the
United Kingdom and Indonesia and look
for new business opportunities.
The high-level visit, business players
said, would help bridge the perception
gap between existing foreign investors
in the country and potential investors
on Indonesia's investment climate.
"Existing investors, many of whom have
been here for decades, are generally
upbeat and positive about doing business
in Indonesia despite challenges that
exists," British Chamber chairman Simon
Morris said during a luncheon with the
Duke in Jakarta.
However, he said, potential new
investors often had a different
perception that could negatively affect
their business decisions when it came to
investing in Indonesia.
"I have no doubt that visits like this,
by the most senior level of UK trade and
investment, can only help to ensure that
such perceptions are gradually overcome.
It will also help to ensure that
business and investment decisions can be
more informed and fact-based," he said.
During the luncheon, the Duke said he
was here as part of the Indonesia-UK
strategic partnership agreement signed
by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
and then Prime Minister Tony Blair in
March 2006.
"I want to make it clear that Indonesia
is an important trading partner for the
UK and offers us considerable potential
for further growth, and that is for both
directions," he said.
The Duke said the UK also had a great
deal of business expertise to be
offered, particularly London as a global
financial capital, with advanced
financial and business consultancy
services.
Regular high-level visits, he said, are
crucial in building a mutual
relationship between the two countries.
He invited President Yudhoyono to visit
London to raise Indonesia's profile and
showcase the opportunities that exist
here and in the UK
The Duke also met with the President and
Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu,
before heading to Papua to visit British
Petroleum's Tangguh project until
Wednesday.
Mari reported after the meeting that the
total value of Indonesia's exports to
the United Kingdom reached Rp 1.4
billion and that her office was
projecting a 10 percent growth this
year.
Bilateral trade reached $1.72 billion in
the first 10 months of 2007, a 6.5
percent increase from $1.61 billion
during the first 10 months of 2006.
Total trade in 2006 reached $1.98
billion.
"Together with the ministry of maritime
affairs and fisheries, we're cooperating
with the UK government in establishing a
fisheries trade corridor which will help
us meet the standards of exports," the
trade minister said.
The UK is the second largest investor
here after Japan, with total investments
of $4.6 billion, mainly in the oil, gas
and mining sectors, where British
Petroleum, Rio Tinto and Shell are all
active. UK investors also have stakes in
automotive manufacturer PT Astra
International and several hotels.
Andi Haswidi and Novia D. Rulistia ,
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta
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