Turkish president to visit Indonesia

Jakarta, July 30 (Antara) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is scheduled to arrive in Indonesia on Thursday evening, will meet with President Joko Widodo on Friday, Spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry Arrmanatha Nasir said. "Turkey's president will visit Indonesia. Expected to arrive this evening, he will conduct a state visit (on Friday) and meet with President Joko Widodo," Nasir stated here on Thursday. He added that the discussion between the two leaders will be focused on economic issues, besides cooperation between the two countries in social and cultural fields. Nasir also pointed out that Turkey was a strategic partner of Indonesia and that economic cooperation between the two countries had been very good. In addition, trade between Indonesian and Turkey amounted to nearly US$2.5 billion in 2014. Indonesia's exports to Turkey include products such as natural rubber, synthetic fiber, palm oil, footwear and shoes, while Indonesia imports products such as flour and electrical goods from the country. "Based on the value of bilateral trade between the two nations, Indonesia enjoys a surplus of some US$415 million," the spokesman remarked. Nasir further noted that they had established diplomatic relations 65 years ago, in 1950. Besides conducting a state visit, delivering a public lecture and visiting the Istiqlal Grand Mosque is also part of President Erdogan's agenda, he revealed.