INDONESIA SEES KAZAKHSTAN AS GATEWAY TO CENTRAL ASIA by Fardah

    Jakarta, Sept 10, 2014 (Antara) - Despite huge geographical distance, Indonesia and Kazakhstan have a lot in common as both countries have a moderate Muslim majority, rich cultural diversity and abundant natural resources.

         Indonesia and Kazakhstan established diplomatic relations about 21 years ago following Indonesia's recognition of the proclamation of independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan on December 16, 1991.

         Since then, the two countries' top officials have exchanged many visits. The then President, Soeharto, paid a state visit to Almaty in April 1995, reciprocated by a state visit from President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Jakarta just over three months later, wrote Foster Gultom, Indonesian ambassador to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, in the Jakarta Post in an article in 2013.

         The Indonesian government opened an embassy in Astana on Dec. 29, 2010. Two years later, on April 13, the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan was opened in Jakarta during the second visit of President Nazarbayev here in 2012.

         According to the Indonesian ambassador, President Nazarbayev's bilateral meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on April 13, 2012, resulted in agreements, inter alia, the establishment of visa free travel for diplomatic and service passport holders of both countries, taking effect on Jan. 26, 2013. The agreements also included one that committed the two countries to increase bilateral trade up to five times from the current volume.

         Bilateral trade volume between Indonesia and Kazakhstan from 2008 until 2012 increased by 16.80 percent. In 2012, the trade volume rose by more than 90 percent from the 2011's figure, the ambassador wrote.

         The Jakarta Globe quoted Rizal Affandi Lukman, Indonesian deputy minister for economic and international financing cooperation, as saying in April this year that combined trade volume between Indonesia and Kazakhstan last year "although still small" had almost doubled to about $64 million.

         In September 2013, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono paid an official visit to Kazakhstan, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the bilateral relations.

         He and President Nazarbayev witnessed the signing of memoranda of understanding, among other things on cultural and economic cooperation, counter-terrorism, preventing money-laundering, and diplomatic education.
    President Yudhoyono expressed his confidence that relations between the two countries would continue to expand, especially economic ties.
    On August 30, 2014, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa and Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on trade and economic cooperation on the sidelines of the Sixth Global Forum of United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, in Nusa Dua, Bali Province.

         "Five government-to-government and 14 business-to-business cooperation pacts have been agreed upon," Minister Natalegawa had stated following a bilateral meeting between Kazakhstan and Indonesia and the signing of the MOU.

         Kazakhstan was a very important country in the Central Asia region, Natalegawa pointed out. "It has a common market with Russia and Belarus, and therefore our private companies investing in Kazakhstan will not only have access to the Kazakhstan market but also Russia and Belarus, markets that serve around 200 million people."
    The only hindrance was the geographical distance, as the perception is that Kazakhstan is a country too far from Indonesia whose potential was unknown, Natalegawa noted.

         "We should overcome such a perception and should consider the good opportunities that Kazakhstan offers Indonesia," he said.

         "Through Kazakhstan, we will have wider access to the larger market in Central Asia," the minister added.

         Foreign minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov said distance was not a major hindrance in trade and business agreement. "With modern means of communications and modern technologies, Kazakhstan has been improving its access to the global market, and this will bring Kazakhstan and South Asia-Pacific closer," he added.

         Idrissov said his country has been enjoying growth and sound bilateral relations with Indonesia.

         During the Bali meeting, the two countries had also discussed air service agreement for establishing a direct flight route from Almaty to Denpasar, Bali. 
    Almaty is not the capital city of Kazakhstan but is very much a centre of industry, tourism, and business.

         Mutual cooperation has included an offer to establish an Indonesian tire factory in Kazakhstan.

         Indonesia was also planning to build instant noodles manufacturing factories in Kazakhstan, as the country was one of the largest wheat producers in the world.

         According to Marty Natalegawa, instant noodles would be marketed not only in Kazakhstan but also other Central Asian countries.

         The two countries had also agreed on establishing a consultation forum for both ministries with the main objectives to follow up on the MOUs and the agreements signed by both the nations to facilitate the process to realize these.
    Minister Marty Natalegawa also informed the press in Bali that the governments of Indonesia and Kazakhstan were studying the possibility of reaching an extradition treaty.

        "They (Kazakhstan) wanted cooperation in the area of extradition and, in addition, transfer of sentenced convicts," Marty Natalegawa said after signing the MOU on August 30, 2014.

         He, however, explained that Indonesia faced a little hindrance in this aspect since its legal structure did not have such regulations.

         "If the transfer of sentenced persons cannot be ensured, at least the possibility of cooperation in matters of extradition can be explored," Natalegawa said.

         The cooperation regarding extradition is necessary during unforeseen situations, he explained.

         "In the past, certain incidents and developments had forced us to extradite Indonesian citizens from a particular or remote country, that had minimum cooperation (on the matter) with Indonesia," Natalegawa stated. ***1***
(f001/INE/B003)