Indonesian, French FMs meet to further enhance bilateral ties

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Nartalegawa held a meeting with his visiting French counterpart Laurent Fabius here on Thursday, discussing ways to maximize bilateral relations between the two country. "We have agreed to prioritize and improve cooperation in five sectors that comprised of trade, investment, defense industry, culture and tourism and reduction of climate change impacts," Marty told a joint press conference. Marty called on France to put more investments in renewable energy and infrastructure in Indonesia. The two nations posted significant enhancement in their bilateral ties since the strategic partnership declared by leaders of the two countries during the visit of French Prime Minister Francois Fillion in 2011. The two foreign ministers also agree to enhance people-to- people contact, improve relations between higher education institutions through joint research programs. Particularly in defense cooperation, the two countries agreed to enhance cooperation aimed at enhancing Indonesian defense industry and push forward for further cooperation in peacekeeping forces. The meeting between the two foreign ministers was featured with signing of several agreements conducted by senior officials of the countries on research and technology, bureaucracy reform and language training cooperation. Commitments to improve relations in international forums of G20, the United Nations and other unilateral events were also pledged by the two ministers. The two countries would also increase cooperation in climate change sector related to the conduction of the 21st United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNCFCCC) scheduled in France in 2015. Values of two-way trade between Indonesia and France were recorded at 3 billion U.S. dollars in 2012 with steady trade growth of 5.9 percent was recorded from 2008 to 2012, making the two countries upbeat to cope with 5 billion two-way trade value target by 2015. France is the fourth largest European countries to invest in Indonesia. At least 110 French companies operating in Indonesia. Most of French investments were in energy, cosmetics plants and retail business.