RI TRYING TO INCREASE EXPORTS TO LATIN AMERICA

Jakarta, Nov 28 (ANTARA) - Indonesia is trying to step up its exports to Latin American countries like Mexico and Brazil, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said here on Friday.
She said closer trade cooperation with Mexico and Brazil would accord with the results of talks Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had held with the leaders of the two Latin American countries during reciprocal visits and the APEC meeting in Peru last week.
"The president's visits to the Latin American countries were perhaps the first that were made seriously and on a large scale to the region. Latin America has market potentials that we must tap to increase our exports," she said.
She said Mexico and Brazil were the largest markets in Latin America and therefore expected to be able to absorb more products from Indonesia.
"Right now the two countries' trade is estimated to reach US$2 billion in 2008 and the two countries had wished to increase it further in view of the existing complimentary opportunities," she said.
She said an Indonesian trade promotion centers would soon be set up in those two countries to support promotion of Indonesian products there.
"The next step is setting up joint economic commissions that will make action plans to increase bilateral relations," she said.
The minister said Indonesia had also sought new cooperation agreements with Australia and New Zealand on professional workers' services such as cooks and side jobs.
"With Australia we have agreed to continue and finish the negotiations that we have done before while the cooperation agreement with New Zealand is expected to be able to be signed by the end of this year for implementation next year," she said.
She said New Zealand had planned to import cooks and side job workers from Indonesia while negotiations with Australia were still undeway.