site.btaForeign Minister Mitov's Visit to Indonesia Continues

Foreign Minister Mitov's Visit to Indonesia Continues

Jakarta/Sofia, March 30 (BTA) - Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov had official meetings with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his Indonesian counterpart, Foreign Minister Retno Marsurdi, Mitov's ministry said on Wednesday.

Mitov is paying an official visit to Malaysia and Indonesia in the period March 28-31. His official visit to Jakarta coincides with the marking of 60 years from the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Indonesia. This is the first visit of a Bulgarian Foreign Minister to Indonesia after 1965. The last one was made by Minister Ivan Bashev in 1965 and Indonesian Foreign Minister  Ali Alatas visited Bulgaria in 1994.
  
"Bulgaria has always regarded Indonesia as a friendly country and we take into consideration its weight in the region and the world as the largest by population country in ASEAN and the Muslim world, a leading economy in Southeast Asia with a functioning democratic system," Mitov said in his meetings with the men of state.
   
Bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Indonesia, EU-Indonesian cooperation, as well as the migration to Europe and the Middle East crisis were discussed at the meetings with President Widodo and Minister Marsurdi.
   
Mitov and Widodo agreed that the two countries enjoy very good cooperation, with a stress on trade and economic relations. "There is unused economic potential in the economic sphere between Bulgaria and Indonesia. Bulgaria could attract trade flows from Indonesia to the EU market," the Bulgarian Foreign Minister said. Bulgarian ports can become an entry point for Indonesian products to the European market. The two countries have prospects to develop investment relations based on President Widodo's policy of prioritizing concrete projects. "Bulgaria offers favourable conditions for investments: low taxes, qualified workforce, low operational costs, connections with the markets in Europe, Asia and North Africa, macroeconomic stability, special preferences for the development of industrial zones and technological parks," Mitov said.
   
Mitov hailed the cooperation between the EU and Indonesia, of which Bulgaria is an active part. The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Indonesia, effective as of May 1, 2015, is the first agreement of this type between the EU and an Asian country, which is indicative of the significance of connections. Mitov also extended an official invitation from Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev to President Widodo to visit Bulgaria.
   
Mitov and Marsurdi commented on the international situation and the challenges before the international community at a news conference. The sides also spoke of the economic, educational and cultural ties between the two countries. The Bulgarian Foreign Minister expressed solidarity with the government and the people of Indonesia in their fight against violence and extremism. Bulgaria will develop its cooperation with Indonesia in the fight against terrorism, organized crime and other severe crimes, Mitov said in the course of the meeting.
   
The two foreign ministers hailed the establishment of a Bulgaria-Indonesia Friendship Group at the Indonesian Parliament.