Signing the agreement were Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi and Hungarian President at the European Union Council, Ambassador s Agnes Vargha, and European Commission Vice President for Transportation affairs on behalf of the European Union Siim Kallas, Third Secretary for Information, Social and Cultural Affairs at the Indonesian embassy in Brussels Punjul Nugraha told Antara`s London correspondent on Tuesday.
He said the agreement signed at the Justus Lipsius building, Secretariat of the EU Council, was the result of long negotiations between Indonesia and the EU starting early in 2007, completed and signed in August 2009.
Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi said the agreement was proof of a firm commitment from both Indonesia and the EU to further increase bilateral cooperation between the two sides in transportation sector, especially air transportation.
In the meantime, representative from the EU Council Ambassador Agnes Vargha said the agreement was a basis for the EU`s external policies in air transportation, by adjusting various cooperation agreements on air transportation services between Indonesia and EU member countries signed earlier with the regulations and laws of the EU.
The aim of the agreement was to provide equal access for all the airline companies of the two sides in all the air routes between the two sides.
Ambassador Agnes hoped after this the air transportation between the two sides would further increase and boost economic growth, especially by way of increased tourism relations between the two sides.
In the meantime, EU vice president Siim Kallas expressed happiness as eventually Indonesia and the EU signed the transportation agreement.
Siim Kallas, commissioner in charge of EU transportation policies also welcomed the increased quality and air transportation services in Indonesia.
He also praised the increase in visits between Indonesia and the EU each year.
He said in 2009 for instance, the number of air transportation passengers from Indonesia to the EU and the other way around had increased by 14 pct.
In the meantime, Indonesian ambassador in Brussels Arif Havas Oegroseno said the horizontal agreement on air transportation provides an added value for a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between Indonesia and the EU signed in November 2009.
The agreement covers many aspects including cooperation in various aspects of air transportation services, safety, and technical aspects.(*)
(H-NG/B003)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
