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The government said Friday it considered a visit to Israel by
a delegation from the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(Kadin) was a normal business matter with no political involvement.
Although it acknowledged it knew beforehand about the June 25-29 visit,
the government insisted that it had not been involved in arranging or
promoting the trip.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Friday he understood the purpose of the
visit was merely aimed at boosting trade relations between the private
sectors of the two countries without any government intervention.
"Kadin is (an institution) of businesspeople. Our businesspeople trade
globally. They go everywhere. So as businesspeople, trade with Israel
is a normal thing," Kalla said in response to questions from reporters.
As reported Thursday in this newspaper, Kadin chairman Mohamad S.
Hidayat led its first-ever visit to Israel to seek closer business
relations. The powerful business lobby signed several deals with the
Manufacturers Association of Israel (MAI).
Kadin's visit was made at the invitation of the MAI and the Israel
Export and International Cooperation Institute (EICI), which was sent
around a month ago.
The countries have no bilateral diplomatic ties because Indonesia is a
staunch supporter of Palestinian statehood.
Kalla said trade with Israel was acceptable because businesspeople from
other Islamic countries also trade and work with the Zionist state, and
the government was not involved.
"Arabs, Egypt and Jordan also engage in trade relations with Israel.
Many Palestinians are working in Israel. Maybe the goods that we buy
from Israel are made by the Palestinians. So I do not see any problem
in it," he said.
A source at the Presidential Palace, speaking on the condition of
anonymity, said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had endorsed the
visit in order to help the country revive its sagging economy. Israel
was expected to share its agricultural technology with Indonesia.
However, presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal denied that Yudhoyono
was involved in any way in arranging the trip or had asked Kadin to
become a special envoy to Israel to assist economic recovery.
"We knew of the visit, but the government was never involved in it. It
was purely business to business," he said.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Desra Percaya said the ministry did not have
a problem with the visit as such, but it would discuss with the lobby
and the business deals it made before deciding on any further response.
Meanwhile, the deputy secretary-general of the Islamist Prosperous
Justice Party (PKS), Zulkiflimansyah, said Kadin should offer a public
explanation about the benefits of making the trip.
"They should explain it to the public so that we are not being rigid
(in opposition to Israel), and can understand the benefits. But they
should also express sympathy to the Palestinians."
He also advised Kadin to be careful in handling the issue to prevent
untoward problems in the future.
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