It is an opportunity for everybody. Each business cooperation needs investment opportunities.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government will encourage and give the widest opportunities for national business companies to increase business opportunities to the United Kingdom along with increased trade cooperation between the two countries.

"It is an opportunity for everybody. Each business cooperation needs investment opportunities," the President said in a press conference at the Merdeka Palace here on Wednesday afternoon following a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron.

The President said that the government has basically opened an opportunity to boost business with national business people.

The President also hoped national and state company businessmen would make use of the opportunity.

In the meantime PM Cameron said he saw Indonesia as a country playing an important role both in Southeast Asia and in the world so that the UK considers Indonesia a strategic partner.

"Indonesia as a Muslim majority nation is practicing good democracy and therefore shows success as a democratic country," PM Cameron said.

Indonesia`s success as a democratic country achieved progress in many sectors so that the UK sees Indonesia as a strategic country in Southeast Asia.


Five agendas

President Yudhoyono said five agendas had been discussed in the meeting between the two government leaders in boosting cooperation between the two countries.

"In the meeting we discussed five important agendas, firstly trade cooperation, investment, education, democracy and dialogues among believers and climate change," the President said.

The President said that trade has increased 10 pct compared to 2010. In 2010 trade between the two countries reached 2.6 billion US dollars in 2011 and creased to 2.8 billion US dollars.

"UK investment in Indonesia includes the five biggest, and wish for cooperation in line with Indonesia`s efforts of increasing investment growth and opportunities," the President said.

The UK itself, PM Cameron said, wished to double the trade value in the next three years and will contribute to the development of micro, small and medium businesses in Indonesia.

"We also wished Indonesian businessmen to increase investment and prioritize them to become investors to the UK," he said.

PM Cameron invited President Yudhoyono to make a visit to the UK and discuss increased cooperation between the two countries more intensively in London.

In the bilateral meeting, the two government leaders were flanked by their economic, education, security cooperation, technology, youths and sports ministers and some other officials.

(P008/M041)

Editor: Ella Syafputri
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