"The scholarships have been granted for studies in all disciplines, except medicine."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President Boediono plans to travel to Saudi Arabia to make the hajj pilgrimage this year, his spokesman Yopie Hidayat said on Thursday.
The vice president confirmed his travel plans while receiving Mustafa Ibrahim Al-Mubarak, the new Saudi ambassador to Indonesia, Hidayat said.
Ambassador Al-Mubarak has also assured the vice president that the Saudi king and government will help facilitate travel arrangements for the pilgrimage, which will be conducted by Boediono and his entourage.
Hidayat also pointed out that Indonesia and Saudi Arabia have shared good bilateral relations till now.
"Cooperation in the fields of trade, industry, education and others has also been progressing well."
The Saudi Arabian government has provided 200 scholarships to Indonesians for studying in the country.
"The scholarships have been granted for studies in all disciplines, except medicine," Hidayat said.
Vice President Boediono told the Saudi ambassador that bilateral cooperation between the two countries could be further strengthened.
Indonesia, the world`s largest Muslim country, sends more than 220,000 people to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj pilgrimage every year.
(Uu.F001/INE/KR-BSR)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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