RI presents honors for 3 Dutch citizens

Lilian Budianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 10/09/2009 4:41 PM

Indonesia will grant honors to three Dutch people for their contribution to enhancing ties between the two countries, the Foreign Ministry said.

Spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said on Friday that former Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Rudolf Bot, lawmaker Hans Van Balen, and civil group member Jacques Zeno Brijil would be awarded the Bintang Mahaputra Utama.

"Rudolf Bot was successful in having his government accept the Indonesian independence day of August 17," he said. Bot was foreign minister from 2003-2007.

Van Balen was the lawmaker from the biggest opposition party of VVD, and Brijil is the President of Horizon Holland, a civil group that has worked closely with Indonesian Health Ministry.

The honors will be presented on Friday in The Hague.

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