RI, Russia Agree To Develop Sister City Cooperation

Jakarta, May 27 (Antara) - Indonesia and Russia agreed to develop cooperation between the two countries` cities and provinces when a delegation from the Indonesian Regional Representatives Council (DPD) visited Moscow on May 23-25, a spokeswoman said. DPD chairman Irman Gusman, along with council members Aidil Fitri Syah and Bahar Ngitung of South Sulawesi, R Ella M Giri Komala of West Java and GKR. Ayu Koes Indriyah of Central Java visited Moscow for three days at the invitation of Russian Federal Council Chairman V I Matvienko, Lailal K. Yuniarti, first secretary of the Indonesian embassy in Russia for information, education and socio-cultural affairs said in an e-mailed statement on Monday. While in Moscow, the DPD delegation accompanied by Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Djauhari Oratmangun met with Matvienko, Russian Foreign Minister SV Lavrov, and Deputy Speaker of the Lower House N Levichev. At the meeting, both sides agreed on the need to develop sister city and sister province relations in all fields, Lailal said. Only Indonesia`s Palembang and Russia`s Belgorod have so far established sister city relations. The two countries are initiating sister province cooperation between Yogyakarta (Indonesia) and St. Petersburg (Russia). Irman expressed hope that other provinces and cities in both countries will soon follow suit. At a meeting with the Russian foreign minister, both sides opined that diplomatic relations between the two countries at bilateral and multilateral levels have been running well. Foreign Minister Lavrov underscored the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation to support the tasks and functions of the two governments.