Embassy`s coordinator for economic affairs George Lantu said here on Tuesday that the PMI was integrated and comprehensive promotion of Indonesia`s potential in the fields of trade, tourism, investment as well as the promotion of arts and culture and culinary wealth of Indonesia to the Netherlands and the European public at large.
"There are three main things of Indonesian products that we want to show the Dutch such as industrial creative products and infrastructure and, culinary and culture," George said.
The ambassador of Indonesia to the Netherlands Retno L P Marsudi in her speech at the opening of Pasar Malam Indonsesia 2013 said the visit of the Foreign Minister of Netherlands Frans Timmermans to Indonesia a month ago is a reflection of the new face relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands.
Ambassador Retno said the presence of Foreign Minister Timmermans as the guest of honor at the opening of PMI 2013 described the new spirit of relations between the two countries.
Pasar Malam Indonesia 2013, which was the fourth time since 2010, was appreciated by the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands Frans Timmermans who in his speech at the opening of Pasar Malam said the atmosphere was full with the impression of Indonesia.
He also said his visit to Jakarta about a month ago was a wonderful experience.
"Indonesia and the Netherlands have the same DNA. Once you come into contact with Indonesia then you cannot let it go, " minister Timmermans said, adding that the relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands for hundreds of years is never broken even always nurtured well.
"We want you to be a part of our country so that we can share," said Timmermans.
He asserted his belief that there was a huge opportunity for both countries to establish cooperation in the future, since Indonesia was a Dutch's entry into Asia, while Netherlands was an entrance for Indonesia to the European market.
Meanwhile, George Lantu said Indonesia had a significant value for the Netherlands and vice versa.
In the field of economy the relations between the two countries is getting stronger since eighty percent of Indonesia`s export products enter the European market through the port of Rotterdam.
"The Netherlands is important for Indonesia, as well as Indonesia for the Netherlands. Therefore thee diplomatic relations of Indonesia with the Netherlands is established on the principle of equality, " George said.
Meanwhile in infrastructure development sector Indonesia also establishes cooperation with the Netherlands in particular for seaports and airports as the Indonesian government assess Schiphol airport and the port of Rotterdam is one of the best in the world.
In socio-demographic point of view relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands is also considered quite special because the Indonesian living in the Netherlands is the largest in Europe, reaching to 16,000 registered at the Embassy.
"One thing which is also interesting is of seventeen million Dutch population in total, there are two million people closely related to Indonesia, either grandfather or grandmother or one of their parents of Indonesia, or had settled in Indonesia," George said.
Activities
Regarding the promotion Indonesia's potentials, George Lantu said Indonesian Night Market was a forum for the business transactions between Indonesian entrepreneurs with the community in the Netherlands.
"In fact there are two leading banks in the UK and the Netherlands that also Pasar Malam as they think this event is very important and quite prestigious internationally. On day four the number of visitors reached to fifteen thousand," George said.
For the promotion of the archipelago culinary Pasar Malam displayed a cooking demonstration hosted by a famous chef William Wongso, in addition also presenting dozens of Indonesian traditional food outlets.
"Promotion of Indonesian restaurants and shops in the Netherlands also takes place via website called etalase Indonesia that its launching is a part of Pasar Malam programs," the Coordinator of Media Relations of Indonesian Embassy in The Hague Hermanus Dimara added.
"I have visited Sumatra, Java and Bali. I also like Indonesian food, everything is delicious," a visitor of Pasar Malam, Marc said.
In addition to industrial exhibition, PMI 2013 also presents a seminar with a theme of democracy in Indonesia with a number of speakers including national politicians and the presidential special staff of economics and information and communication fields, in collaboration with the Indonesian Students Association (PPI) in the Netherlands.
In this year the government agencies that support the promotion of Indonesia in the Netherlands is the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Cooperative and Small and Medium Enterprises, the Ministry of Communication and Information as well as the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.
Meanwhile the local administrations which are also participating consist of Riau, Central Java and Maluku provinces, as well as Bogor and Semarang cities.
The other companies and institutions are Garuda Indonesia Airlines, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, Indonesian Business Women Association, GAPKI (Association of Indonesian Palm Oil), PT Angkasa Pura II and PT. Pelindo I - IV (Indonesian Port Coperation).
"We have done a survey on Pasar Malam Indonesia and the results are very positive where visitors, especially those from the Netherlands said their visits to the event because they want to deeply explore all about Indonesia," Hermanus said.
(KR-LWA/O001)
Reporter: Libertina Widyamu
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
