"One of the ways for it is through traditional market."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Trade between Indonesia and Timor Leste has grown 109 percent in the past five years, according to Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.
"The trade relations between the two countries have continued to increase from 2007 to 2011," he said after a joint press conference with visiting Timor Lester Foreign Minister Jose Luis Guterres here on Tuesday.
Last year the trade between the two countries was valued at US$175 million and it was up to US$21.5 million this year, he said.
"So far the trade is still dominated by exports from Indonesia to Timor Leste while imports from Timor Leste to Indonesia only reached US$1.4 million," he said.
Indonesian main export products to Timor Leste are motor vehicles, tobacco, palm oil, cement, household utensils, electronic goods and food.
Imports from Timor Leste meanwhile are coffee, iron ore, wood and cows.
The two ministers agreed in their meeting to increase the two countries` cooperation especially in the fields of economy such as trade and investment to boost development and connectivity in the region through "Regional Integrated Economic Approach."
"One of the ways for it is through traditional market, infrastructure development for people living in the Indonesia-Timor Leste border so that they could interact according to their traditions so far," Marty said.
Besides economic issues the two officials also discussed social and cultural, community, regional and global issues.
In the visit to Indonesia Minister Jose Luis Guterres was flanked by Junior Minister for ASEAN-Timor Leste Affairs Roberto Soares and other delegation members.
This was the first visit to Indonesia by Jose Luis Guterres after he was inaugurated as Timor Leste`s minister of foreign affairs and foreign cooperation in the government of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao on August 8, 2012.
(T.C005/H-YH/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
