Jakarta Globe, March 06, 2013
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Berlin.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urged the European Union on Tuesday to help
kickstart the slowing global economy, following talks with German Chancellor
Angela Merkel.
"We
hope from the perspective of Asia that the economic difficulties of Europe,
above all in some countries, can be solved as soon as possible...,"
Yudhoyono told a joint news conference with Merkel.
"Europe
is an important pillar in the world economy, like the US and Asia," the
Indonesian leader said in comments that were made through an interpreter.
He said it
was even more important "since the economy of the BRICS countries is also slowing,
above all in China, India and Brazil" and that the effects were felt in
many countries.
The BRICS
group also includes Russia and South Africa.
Yudhoyono
also expressed hope that Europe and the US would "undertake a lot" to
help boost growth, adding that Asia would also make efforts.
Turning to
a future free trade agreement between Asia and the EU, the Indonesian president
stressed the need to couple trade and investment, saying the two aspects could
not be separated.
Merkel said
that she backed the signing of a free trade accord initially between the EU and
Indonesia ahead of a wider agreement between the EU and Asia.
Merkel told
reporters she had "nothing against it happening with Asia but as a start
it was concentrated" on Indonesia, and added: "If one were to have
EU-Indonesia, one would have an important component."
Indonesian
state news agency Antara also reported that Yudhoyono promoted Indonesia as a
"complete tourism destination" in front of 5,000 people from the
global tourism industry during the opening of the Internationale Tourismus
Borse (ITB) 2013, an international tourism exhibition, in Berlin on Tuesday
night.
The
president was quoted as saying Indonesia had many interesting and unique places
other than Bali. "Among them is Borobudur Temple, which is recognized as a
world heritage, and Komodo Park, which is famous as the 'jurrasic park' of
Indonesia, and many others," he said according to Antara.
He also
promoted Raja Ampat, Bunaken in Manado and rendang.
With ITB's
support, Yudhoyono said, Indonesia can achieve its target of 10 million foreign
tourist arrivals by 2014.
AFP, JG
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