RI FOREIGN MINISTER MAKING TWO-DAY WORKING VISIT TO SWEDEN

London, April 2 (ANTARA) - Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda is to make a two-day working visit from April 3 to 4, 2009 to Sweden to discuss closer bilateral relations between the two countries.

A spokesman of the Indonesian Embassy in Stockholm, Dody Kusumonegoro, told ANTARA here on Thursday that Wirayuda's official visit to Sweden would mark the first by an Indonesian foreign minister in the past tens of years. It would be made to reciprocate a visit by the Swedish foreign minister to Indonesia in April last year.
Kusumonegoro said during his visit, Wirayuda would hold a series of meetings with his Swedish counterpart, Carl Bildt, the country's Trade Minister Ewa Bjorling, and Swedish Parliament Speaker Per Westberg to discuss various issues related to bilateral cooperation for the improvement of human rights and democracy, initiation of a waste recycling project, trade and investment, and eduction.
After a joint press conference with Bildt, Wirayuda would give an interview to Swedish national newspaper Dagens Nyheter, national TV station SVT, and later meet members of the Indonesian community in Stockholm.
According to Kusumonegoro, bilateral relations between Indonesia and Sweden had become stronger since the posting of an Indonesian ambassador to Stockholm in 2006 after a four-year hiatus.
Positive development in the two countries relations was marked by the establishment of a Human Rights Dialog and Bilateral Consultation Forum between Indonesia and Sweden in 2008.
Kusumonegoro said Indonesia and Sweden established diplomatic relations in 1952, and with the Human Rights Dialog and Bilateral Consultation Forum, the two countries' cooperation in various fields is expected to be more intensive and effective.
On July 1, 2009, Sweden is to assume the presidency of the European Union (EU) and this was expected to improve cooperation between EU and Indonesia on both regional and international issues.
In addition, Kusumonegoro said Sweden was expected to help Indonesia in its efforts to encourage the European Union to lift its ban on Indonesian airline flights to European countries.