Uzbekistan wants cooperation in tourism sector with RI

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Uzbekistan admires and is impressed by the progress Indonesia`s tourism industry is making and therefore would like to cooperate with Indonesia in the sector, Alisher Shaykhov, chairman of the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said here Thursday.

Indonesia was a very interesting country and therefore Uzbekistan wished to set up mutually beneficial cooperation with Indonesia, Alisher said after presenting a paper at the Indonesia-Uzbekistan Investment Seminar and Business Forum.

Uzbekistan was most interested in Indonesia`s tourism sector, Alisher said, adding that Indonesia was more advanced than Uzbekistan, especially in the tourism sector.

Thus, Uzbekistan was inviting Indonesia to enhance cooperation in the tourism field besides in other sectors, he added.

The governments of Indonesia and Uzbekistan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on July 18, 1995.

Meanwhile, Director General for Asia and the Pacific and Africa of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Primo Alui Joelianto said although the MoU had not been implemented to materialize cooperation programs, the ministry realized the two countries were more interested in efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector.

The cooperation was materialized among others through exploring tourist sites in both countries, he said.

In addition, he said, the two governments were planning to revive the sister city cooperation relationship between Banda Aceh and Samarkand as Islamic religious tourist destinations.

"The two cities have the potential to attract many tourists who are expected to enjoy religious tourist sites and to know cultures and social lives in the two cities," he said.

The Indonesian government was now making programs to draw six million foreign tourists, including those from Uzbekistan and other countries in Central Asia.

"I also want the two countries to step up the cooperation in the air transportation sector," he said.