RUSSIA ASKING ABOUT RI'S PROMISE TO INCREASE TIES

Jakarta, May 18 (ANTARA) - A Russian business delegation has asked for the fulfilment of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's promise to increase trade relations between Indonesia and Russia, a legislator said.

Simon Patrice Morin, vice chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR)'s Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Board, made the remarks after accompanying DPR Speaker Agung Laksono in receiving members of the International Movement Eastern Dimension of the Russian Federation at the parliament building here on Monday.

The delegation which was led by ME Nikolaev included a number of Russian businessmen.

"The Russian businessmen and the parliamentary delegation members asked for the fulfillment of Yudhoyono's promise he made some time ago to implement a bilateral agreement to increase ties. Russia's investment in Indonesia has reached one billion US dollars," he said.

During the meeting, the Russian delegation also expressed its determination to increase the two countries' economic cooperation, particularly in the energy field.

"Russia has developed ebb-and-flow technology to produce energy," he said.

He said Russia also wanted to cooperate in the educational and technological sectors. "Russia is sending a delegation of businessmen who seriously want to invest in Indonesia," Morin said.

Therefore, House Speaker Agung Laksono will visit Moscow next month to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two nations, he said.

Laksono would go to Moscow with a number of businessmen who intended to invest in Russia.

"The House Speaker's visit to Russia is expected to lead to more concrete cooperation," he added.***5***