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H.E. Mrs. Megawati
Soekarnoputri, President of the Republic of Indonesia is on a State Visit to
India from 1-5 April 2002. She is accompanied by her husband, Mr. Taufiq
Kiemas, and her daughter, Ms. Puan Maharani.
Dr. Nur Hassan Wirajuda, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Ms. Rini
M.S. Suwandi, Minister for Trade & Industry, Mr. Hatta Rajasa, State Minister
of Research & Technology, and Mr. Syamsul Mu’arif, State Minister for
Communication & Information form part of President Megawati’s official
delegation to India.
A large business delegation accompanied the Indonesian President.
President Megawati’s official engagements in Delhi commenced on Wednesday, 3
April 2002, with her being given a ceremonial reception in the forecourt of
Rashtrapati Bhavan. Thereafter she went to Rajghat to lay a wreath at the
Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi.
The Vice President, Shri Krishan Kant and Smt. Suman Krishan Kant called on
the visiting dignitary.
President Megawati also attended a business meeting jointly organized by FICCI
and CII. At this luncheon meeting, nine MOUs were signed between different
Indian and Indonesian organizations in the areas of railways, edible oils,
pharmaceutical, software, hospitality industry, afforestation etc.
Smt. Sonia Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, called on the Indonesian
President. Thereafter, President Megawati delivered a speech at the Rajiv
Gandhi Foundation on the theme “Re-discovering the Asian Identity”.
President Megawati’s meeting with Prime Minister was followed by delegation
level talks.
Thereafter, President Megawati met with President K.R. Narayanan and Smt. Usha
Narayanan, who also hosted the visiting dignitary to a banquet.
In all the meetings that President Megawati had with Indian leaders, the close
historical and cultural contacts between the two countries were reiterated, as
well as the great warmth and personal rapport which existed between President
Megawati’s father, the late President Soekarno of Indonesia. and Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru. It was emphasized that close contacts at the highest level
must be maintained between India and Indonesia in view of the extensive
relationship that we had in several areas, political, economic and commercial.
The Indian leaders also thanked President Megawati for Indonesia’s support to
India both in the context of the ARF and the ASEAN.
Recalling the age-old relationship between India and Indonesia in terms of
history, common culture, shared traditions and value systems as well as the
personal association of the Soekarno family with India, President Narayanan,
in his banquet speech, called for deepening the contacts and cooperation
between the two countries in the fields of science and technology,
agriculture, ecological conservation, information technology, bio-technology
and other areas of common interest.
President Megawati in her remarks reiterated the strong historical and
cultural ties between our two countries, the strength of which had been
reflected in modern times as well. She said that it was now our common duty to
utilize this enormous asset to make our bilateral relations meaningful. Apart
from our political relationship, which was very satisfactory at the bilateral,
regional, and international levels, she felt that there was room for us to
develop cooperation in other fields, especially in trade, investment, health,
and human resource development.
In his meeting with President Megawati, PM expressed India’s keen interest in
participating in railway projects in Indonesia, under suitable financial
mechanisms, like counter-trade. PM also called for strengthening the bilateral
cooperation between the two countries in other infrastructure areas such as
telecommunications, power projects and ports development. PM expressed
happiness on the cooperation in IT sector where India is currently providing
special, customized training to Indonesian engineers. He added that the MOU to
be signed during President Megawati’s visit between the space establishments
of our two countries would impart fresh momentum to our cooperation in Space
Technology.
PM made a special mention of the fact that India would sponsor a high level
investment delegation to Indonesia in order to study investment opportunities
for Indian businesses there.
Noting Indonesia’s interest in these sectors, India offered to extend support
to Indonesia in their setting up of a Film and Television Institute and an
Institute of Fashion Design in Indonesia.
PM was of the view that the historical and cultural affinities between India
and Indonesia were not adequately reflected in our academic and cultural
interactions. He therefore proposed the setting up of Chairs of Indonesian and
Indian studies respectively in universities in India and Indonesia.
As an statement of India’s desire for closer engagement with ASEAN, PM
announced India’s offer to set up the India-ASEAN Biotechnology Centre and the
India-ASEAN Science & Technology Digital Library, both in Jakarta.
President Megawati referred to the strong cultural linkages between the two
countries and emphasized the need to provide continuity to our common cultural
traditions through joint initiatives. She stated that she was very receptive
to the idea of India undertaking railway projects in Indonesia.. She also
expressed her satisfaction on the training opportunities and university
education offered by India to Indonesian trainees and students.
President Megawati said that the nine private sector MOUs and the three
inter-governmental MOUs signed during her visit to India reflected the level
and scope of interaction between India and Indonesia.
After the delegation level talks, three agreements were signed. These were an
MOU pertaining to visa exemption between the two countries for holders of
official and diplomatic passports; an MOU for enhanced cooperation between the
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and its Indonesian counterpart LAPAN;
an MOU for the setting up of a Vocational Training Centre in the Construction
Sector in Jakarta by India under India’s ITEC Programme.
On Thursday, 4 April 2002, President Megawati left for Hyderabad where she
will visit the Hitech City, and then meet the Governor of Andhra Pradesh. The
Governor would be hosting a lunch in honour of the President of Indonesia.
New Delhi
April 4, 2002
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