Speaking to the press after a bilateral meeting with visiting Finnish European Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Alexander Stubb, Marty said they discussed the importance of the two countries` renewable energy cooperation.
"Besides, Indonesia and Finland also agreed to enhance trade and investment relations between the two countries," Marty said, adding that the two countries had signed their EEP accord on February 14, 2011.
Marty said the EEP program was intended to reduce green house gas emissions and the impact of climate change by way of providing modern energy that was easily accessible and reliable in rural areas and usable in the industrial sector.
To make the program a success, the Finnish government had extended a 4-million-euro grant to the Indonesian government to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and investment in clean energy technology.
"In addition, Indonesia has also asked for Finland`s support for its Master Plan for the Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesia`s Economic Development (MP3EI)," Marty said.
Meanwhile, Alexander Stubb said the two countries cooperation in various fields had great potential to be improved.
"This is so because besides its strong economic development, Indonesia is also a member of G-20," Stubb said.
He added that Finland was very much dependent on its trade sector which accounted for 40 percent of the country`s gross domestic product (GDP).
"But the contribution of our exports (to GDP) is only 0.2 percent and therefore Finland wants to step up cooperation with Indonesia whose exports accont for 25 percent of GDP ," Stubb said.
Accompanied by a 30-strong business delegation, Stubb had come to Indonesia to step up trade and investment relations with Indonesia.
(SYS/O001)
Editor: Suryanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
