We must stop thinking that Indonesia and St. Kitts and Nevis (or Saint Christopher and Nevis) are far apart, as this consul office has moved us closer
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government opened its first honorary consul office in Basseterre, the capital city of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Tuesday to strengthen diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries. "We must stop thinking that Indonesia and St. Kitts and Nevis (or Saint Christopher and Nevis) are far apart, as this consul office has moved us closer," the Ambassador of Indonesia to Colombia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Priyo Iswanto, was quoted as saying during the opening ceremony in Basseterre, by the Embassy of Indonesia in Bogota, Colombia in a statement, Thursday.

The honorary consul office was Indonesia’s first representative office in St. Kitts and Nevis, Iswanto added. Therefore, the office would be utilized as a platform to increase trade relations between two countries, as well as providing services to Indonesian nationals in the country.

During the opening ceremony that was attended by Mark Brantley, Foreign Affairs Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Iswanto also appointed the honorary consul, Faron Tenyson Lawrence.

"Faron T Lawrence is the right person to be appointed as an honorary consul as he has a vast network on the businesses in St. Kitts and Nevis," Brantley said during the ceremony.

Opening of the honorary consulate might serve as a model for Indonesia to maintain its relations with smaller countries, the minister explained. The two nations launched diplomatic relations on January 30, 2014, the minister stated.

Meanwhile, Honorary Consul Lawrence said he would maximize trade exchanges in the automotive sector and the shipbuilding industry. St. Kitts and Nevis is the first Caribbean country to initiate a 30-day visa exemption policy to Indonesian nationals in February 2019, he added. (INE)
Related news: Indonesian Consulate explores trade potentials in Nice

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Editor: Suharto
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