Karling klub Vukovi

Not long after the working part of the General Annual Meeting of the Association over, the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia in Serbia, H.E. Mr. Muhamed Abduh Dalimunthe accompanied by the staff members of the Embassy, have joined the members of the Association. In his 30-minute ispiring speech in the „Panca Sila Room“ of the Embassy, Ambassador Dalimunthe has addressed the Association, giving review on the political, cultural and economic cooperation between the two countries in the course of his three-and-a-half year – stay in Belgrade.

Ambassador Dalimunthe recalled to the long-existing friendship between Indonesia and Serbia, at the time when the foundation of the Non Aligned Countries for the first time set up. Close friendship established between the then statesmen Josip Broz Tito and Ahmed Soekarno was one of the most important base in the development of the Movement, and at the same time, cordial relations between Indonesia and Yugoslavia.

Since then the two countries had concluded several agreements on cooperation in the fields of political, economic, cultural, consular and others. In the meantime the status of Serbia has changed, as the only heir of the former Yugoslavia, and some of the inter-state agreements have expired. Regardless the facts, both sides have been working intensively to renew or conclude new agreements and expected that in 2010, new documents which have prioriy significance for both countries, would be agreed, said the Ambassador.

Ambassador Dalimunthe has also noted that starting from the day of his arrival in Belgrade end of 2006, the governments of the two countries have been working hard in promoting of the political, economic and cultural relations and have achieved a speedy progress in a relatively short period of three years. The most actual question for Serbia was the Status of Kosovo and Metohia. The Ambassador stressed that the Indonesian Government, during its mandate as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2007-2008 period, had endevoured that the qustion the status of Kosmet should be solved in a peaceful way and through negotiation acceptable for both interested sides.

„Indonesia is giving its contribution and steadfast support to the soveregnity and territorial integrity of Serbia in the question of Kosmet,“ said Ambassador Dalimunthe, addressing members of the Association at the termination of his diplomatic mission in Serbia. He has underlined that the position of Indonesia has not changed at all and that Jakarta continues to follow the development of the situation on Kosmet.

Indonesia, among others, is the biggest Moslems populated country in the world, an outstanding member of the NAM and the more and more influential Group 20 (G-20) of the most developed states in the world and of the uprising economic giants. Indonesia is also one of the rare economics in the world which, during the global economic crisis in 2009, has noted a solid growth of GNP, 4%, according to the data issued by IMF.

In the other hand, the Ambassador underlined the very friendy attitude of the Serbian Goverment toward Indonesia and the strong support to the sovereignity and territorial integrity of a vast and the most populated countries in Asia.

In Indonesia, which consists of more than 17.500 islands, with the total surface of more than 1,9 million sqkm, live more than 230 million inhabitants, belonging to approximately 300 different etnic groups and speak more than 742 languages and dialects.

The Ambassador said that the Government and the people of Serbia had shown solidarity during the various natural disasters taking place in the past years in Indonesia, and also the two countries had good cooperation in various international organizations. As an example of the good relations and cooperation between the two countries, he reiterated also „the very important visit“ of the Foreign Minister of Serbia. Vuk Jeremić, to Jakarta in March 2008.

Dalimunthe has also underlined the good relations between Indonesia and Serbia in other fields, particularly in the economic one. Bilateral economic relations between the countries made good progress, particularly thanks to the more increasing of Serbian businessmen and companies willing to make business in Indonesia, said the Ambanassador. Some of the Serbian companies have been attracted to establish business contacts, among others, for the import of palm oil, raw rubber, fruit products, paper and rattan furniture, and the agruculture cooperation as well.

In the last three years, the Serbian businessmen have also shared at the Trade Expo of Indonesia in Jakarta to make research and have found the Indonesian products which could be of interest for Serbian market. In that period some Indonesian businessmen had also visited Serbia in efforts to establish economic cooperation, and, ultimately, the Indonesian Embassy has participated at the annual fairs of tourisms in Belgrade, said Dalimunthe.

According to Ambassador Dalimunthe, in general, the trade relations between Indonesia and Serbia between 2005 and 2008, significant development and progress have been noted. Nevertheles, in 2009 the global economic crisis has also affected Serbia, resulting to the stagnation in the trade relations of the two countries.

Analyzing the economic cooperation so far and the plans for the future and the potential of the two countries, the Ambassador has noted that the transition in Serbia and the global economic crisis have effected to the deep changes in the country. He particularly underlined that growth in some economic sectors could be expected in the next years such as:

– Agro-business which has recorded a positive growth and no doubt Serbia has got some excellent products which could be an intersting subject of cooperation with Indonesia.

– In the sector of civil engeneering, Serbia has some renown companies of the international level could take parts in Indonesia.

– In the field of technique Serbian companies could compete at the Indonesian market as well.

– Production of medical items and electronic devices for medical uses from Serbia have sufficient potential to succeed the reputation from the earlier time of Yugoslavia. Health centres in Serbia could welcome the Indonesian medical personnel for training purposes as had been practised in the past.

Furthermore, Ambassador Dalimunthe noted that Serbia highly appreciated the culture of Indonessia.

For the first time in Serbia, in February 2008, in cooperation with the Ygoslavia’s Film Archive „Jugoslovenska Kinoteka“, an Indonesian Film Festival was organized in Belgrade. It’s been mutually agreed this cooperation would continue and become a regular practise in the annual part of activities of of that house in the future.

In 2009 some Indonesian athletes took participation at the Summer Universiade in Belgrade.

The Indonesian Embassy has been working much on making progress in the sector of educational cooperation with Serbia through „Darmasiswa“ scholarship for which program the number of the interested students have increased.

In his address Ambassador Dalimunthe has also devoted to the cooperation with the Association of Friendship of Indonesia and Setbia „Nusantara“ and expressed his sincere gratitude to its President, Dragovan Bata Lukić, members of the Board, the whole members and friends of the Assocation as well.

„During my mission in Serbia, the Association has significantly contributed to the friendship of Indonesia and Serbia, making big progress in the establishment of cooperation in a higher level and helped the people of Serbia to get acquantied with the rich Indonesian culture and social life“, Ambassador Dalimunthe noted. According to him, the „Nusantara“, founded in 2003, could be a nucleus of the NGO in expanding the relations between the two countries and play a more active role in strengthening the Indonesian-Serbian friendship.

The Ambassador has also expressed his opinion that the Association, working on further development and closeness of the two countries, could focus its activities on getting the local communities in Serbia acquainted with the Indonesian culture, making efforts and reach people beyond the city of Belgrade, in towns which are not big culture centres and wherein access to such information is less, however, interested in and wish to hear about the long distant but friendly Indonesia with her very rich culture.

Art people, businessmen and those interested in Indonesia, who, in a way or other, linked with that country, shoud primarily contribute to presenting of the Indonesian society to the Serbian people, Ambassador Dalimunthe emphasized.

„The long history of friendship and good cooperation between our two countries, established on a strong basis of mutual respect, has prevailed for more then half a century. It’s my sincere wish that the friendly relations and political, economic and cultural cooperation based on mutual benefit and progress, strengthen in the years to come. I am convinced that, if we continuously work on the strengthening of our bilateral cooperation on the way how it’s been done so far, our friedship and mutual benefit would be bigger than of nowadays“ the Ambasador of the Republic of Indonesia in Serbia, H.E. Muhamed A. Dalimunthe concluded.