RI AND EU SIGN PARTNERSHIP AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT

Jakarta, Nov 9 (ANTARA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marty Natalegawa signed a Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (PCA) with the European Union in Jakarta Monday to improve the bilateral relations between Indonesia and the European Union.

According to Marty Natalegawa, the PCA was signed after the two sides discussed many important regional and global issues.

Singning for Indonesia was Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa and acting for Sweden was his counterpart Carl Bildt, who was also acting director of the European Union Council, the EU Troika represented by Karel Kovanda and Helga Schimd, policy director of the EU Council Secretariat, said in Jakarta, Monday .

In addition, the foreign minister hoped that the agreement will build a stronger relationship between Indonesia and the European Union.

Marty also asserted that discussed in this opportunity also was how to implement the ideas and thoughts of the two delegates to improve the relationships that have been established.

The purpose of the PAC is to build bilateral relations and cooperation in the international area, expand trade and investment between the two parties for mutual benefit, develop cooperation in all relevant sectors of trade and investment and removing all barriers.

In addition, the agreement was also aimed at establishing cooperation in various fields including commerce, cooperation in migration issues, including legal and illegal migration and human trafficking, building cooperation in resolving human rights issues and laws, and combating transnational crimes like terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

"This is the first time the European Union signed a PAC with a country, especially one of the ASEAN countries, to show the seriousness in the implementation of expanded cooperation with Indonesia," Carl said, adding that the European Union has become Indonesia's biggest market.

RI and the EU has identified several priority issues in 2010, such as trade and investment issues, environment, education, human rights and democracy.

In trade and investment, Indonesia and the European Union established business relationship valued at 20 billion Euros which had increased by six percent every year.

As many as 750 European firms have invested in Indonesia, and Indonesian companies have started investing in the European Union.

In the environmental sector, both sides discussed climate change which has swept the world, improved cooperation in matters relating to the environment such as fisheries and forestry, the mitigation and reduction of emissions in accordance with the high-level environment conference to be held in Copenhagen in December.

In the education sector, Indonesia and the EU will enhance cooperation such as under the "Erasmus Mudus" scholarship program for Indonesian students in the European Union as well as in education, and research. *** 5 ***