INTERVIEW OF THE RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY'S OFFICIAL SPOKESMAN, ALEXANDER YAKOVENKO, WITH RIA NOVOSTI ON RUSSIAN-INDONESIAN RELATIONS
Question: What importance does Moscow attach to Russian-Indonesian relations?
Answer: Russia and Indonesia have had over 50 years of cooperation. Relations between our countries are characterised by a high degree of mutual understanding, close or similar approaches to ways of resolving international and regional problems. Political and other contacts between Russia and Indonesia maintained at all levels help strengthen and develop Russian-Indonesian cooperation both bilaterally and internationally.
Mutual understanding with Indonesia is one of the key directions in Russia's foreign policy and an important factor for strengthening stability and security in the Asian Pacific region.
Q.: What issues are considered to be priorities in the dialogue between our countries?
A.: Important issues of Russian-Indonesian interaction are combating international terrorism, strengthening of universal peace, international and regional security, disarmament focused on strengthening multilateral regimes of non-proliferation of mass destruction weapons, the UN role, Iraqi crisis, situation on the Korean peninsula, Middle East settlement and some others.
The situation in the Asian Pacific region, Russia's increased cooperation with ASEAN and the ASEAN Regional Forum as well as our cooperation in the APEC framework are also among the priorities. Russia is prepared for constructive cooperation in the Forum's working bodies and programmes.
Q.: What directions of bilateral cooperation seem to be more urgent today?
- When considering Russian-Indonesian relations, the parties focus on their diversification and multiplication of forms for mutually favourable cooperation. Moscow believes the atmosphere for increased cooperation in trade and economic, scientific and technological as well as humanitarian areas and improved military and technological and other cooperation is currently favourable. The Russian-Indonesian joint committee on trade and economic and technical cooperation plays an important part in this development. The second meeting of this committee was held in March 2003 in Indonesia /Bali/.
Expansion of the contract and legal basis is another priority of Russian-Indonesian relations. Signing of the Declaration on Friendship and Partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Indonesia in the 21st century as well as a package of other bilateral agreements wighat become a considerable contribution to the process.
