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Sweden hopes to improve its trade relations with Indonesia,
particularly in the telecommunications sector, during a four-day visit
by Swedish Trade Minister Sten Tolgfors to Jakarta.
During his visit, which began Saturday, Tolgfors is scheduled to meet
with his Indonesian counterpart Mari Elka Pangestu, to discuss ways to
improve trade and investment between the two countries, according to
the Swedish Embassy.
He also plans to meet with ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng, to update
recently launched talks and negotiations on a free trade agreement
between the Southeast Asian grouping and the European Union.
Bilateral trade between Indonesia and Sweden amounted to US$781.5
million in 2006, up 28 percent from the previous year, according to the
Indonesian Trade Ministry.
Between 2001-2005 bilateral between the countries has risen annually by
an average 13 percent. Trade figures have been in Sweden's favor, by up
to $510.7 million last year.
ASEAN and EU, meanwhile, are each other's third largest trading
partners, with two-way trade totaling $140.5 billion in 2005. The EU
enjoyed a $23.1 billion trade surplus in 2005.
An ASEAN-EU free trade agreement could further increase EU exports to
ASEAN by 24 percent, and ASEAN exports to the EU by 18 percent,
according to a study.
Heading a business delegation of Swedish telco firms, Tolgfors expects
the telecommunications sector to be the main focus in improving trade
relations with Indonesia. The sector has accounted for more than half
of Sweden's exports to Indonesia.
Tolgfors on Tuesday is scheduled to address, along with Indonesian
Communications and Information Minister Mohammad Nuh, a telecom seminar
in Jakarta, organized jointly by PT Ericsson Indonesia, the Swedish
Trade Council and the Swedish Embassy.
Cellular phone maker and solutions provider Ericsson is Sweden's leader
in mobile telecommunications, including third generation (3G)
technology.
Indonesia is Ericsson's third largest market globally. Its main
competition in the Indonesian market is Finland's Nokia, Motorola of
the U.S. and South Korea's Samsung.
The local market is seen as particularly promising, because of
Indonesia's more than 220 million people, only about a quarter already
own a cell phone.
While in Jakarta, Tolgfors also will meet Finance Minister Sri Mulyani
Indrawati, to discuss Sweden's latest technical assistance grant to
support improvements in Indonesia's tax office.
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