Russia Ready to Help, Promises Cooperation With Indonesia

Top Russian politician meets with Vice President Jusuf Kalla to boost ties

Jakarta Globe, Novy Lumanauw, Nov 12, 2014

Valentina I. Matviyenko, the speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament,
 shaking hands with House of Representatives Speaker Setya Novanto at the
legislative complex Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday. (Antara Photo/Ismar Patrizki)

Jakarta. Vice President Jusuf Kalla and a high-level representative from the Russian government met on Wednesday to discuss bilateral trade, politics and infrastructure development in Indonesia.

Valentina I. Matviyenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament, met with Kalla at the vice president’s office, where the pair spoke about boosting trade and improving economic ties between the two countries.

Russia and Indonesia have set a target for bilateral trade to reach $5 billion in value, Matviyenko said at a press conference after the meeting, although an exact time frame was not spelled out. In 2012 trade reached $3.4 billion, according to Hatta Rajasa, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for economic affairs under former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

At a time when Indonesia is looking to attract investment and improve ailing infrastructure, Matviyenko said the Russian government could help, especially with trains, smelters and power plants.

She also said her country could help make President Joko Widodo’s vision of turning Indonesia into a maritime axis for the Asia-Pacific area a reality. Matviyenko said Russia was prepared help Indonesia build maritime infrastructure, such as ports.

Russia — which has battled militants from Muslim Chechnya for more than two decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union — could also help Indonesia fight homegrown and international terrorism, she said.

Kalla said the promise of cooperation would be followed up and it was important to include Russian businesses in discussions about developing Indonesia’s resources.

“We’ve had a long [and] good relationship with Russia, in politics, trade and innovation,” he said.