RI, Poland Sign Bilateral Consultancy MOU

Jakarta, Nov 12 (Antara) - The Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry and Polish Foreign Affairs Ministry have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) related to setting up a bilateral consultancy forum. Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa and Polish Foreign Affairs Minister Radoslaw Sikorski signed the MoU during the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) held in Gurgaon, India, according to a press statement made available to Antara on Monday night. The bilateral consultancy MoU will lay the groundwork for a bilateral meeting between the foreign affairs ministry officials or senior state executives from Indonesia and Poland, who will discuss cooperation and partnership in the fields of politics, economy, society and culture, as well as try and translate these potentials into mutual benefits. "Indonesia and Poland also agreed to enhance bilateral relations between regional and global areas," said Natalegawa. The bilateral meeting was a follow up to a work visit made by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Poland from September 3 to 5, where he had agreed to sign treaties on fishery, agriculture, education and an Indonesia-Poland consulate relationship. Indonesia and Poland`s bilateral relations started in 1955 and it has become one of the important potential partners of Indonesia in the East and Central Europe region. Poland`s per capita GDP touched US$13 thousand in 2012 and its population was pegged at 38.54 million people. In 2012, the value of trade between Indonesia and Poland had reached more than US$ 467 million and during January to July 2013, it increased by 9.14 percent. Poland is an export market for Indonesian products, like machinery and electronic devices, rubber and its subsidiaries, as well as food and agricultural products.