Japan hopes EPA to be signed soon
05/26/07
Japan hopes EPA to be signed soon
Jakarta (ANTARA News) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a meeting with visiting Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla in Tokyo on Friday expressed hope that the two contries could sign an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) as soon as possible.
According to a Japanese Embassy press release made available to ANTARA News here on Saturday, Abe had said that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyonos visit to Japan in November last year and the ongoing one by Vice President Jusuf Kalla had become a cohesive force in the relations between Indonesia and Japan.
Therefore, he expressed hope that the two countries would strive to sign an Economic Partnership Agreement within the shortest posible time.
In response to Abes statement, Vice President Jusuf Kalla had said the EPA would strengthen economic relations between the two countries, and therefore the agreement should be concluded in the near future.
About President Yudhoyonos visit to Japan last year, Abe said he and Yudhoyono discussed stability of liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply from Indonesia to Japan, and at the meeting with Kalla on Friday the Japanese prime minister expressed hope that Indonesia would continue to export gas to Japan.
According to an Antara report on Kallas visit in Tokyo on Friday, the Vice President had made it clear to the Japanese side that Indonesia also needed gas supply for domestic consumption.
Meanwhile, Capital Investment Coordinating Agency (BKPM) Chief Muhammad Lutfi said in Tokyo the Japanese government had offered to cooperate with Indonesia in nuclear technology development,
He said the offer was conveyed by Japans Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akira Amari to visiting Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla in Tokyo on Friday.
According to Lutfi, the nuclear technology issue was an old discourse which continued to develop but it had to be admitted that the use of nuclear energy was inevitable in the future.
"Japan did offer cooperation in nuclear technology development," Lutfi said, adding that technical discussions to follow up Japans offer would be done in a Working Group.
He said besides offering cooperation in nuclear technology development, Japan had also expressed hope that Indonesia would continue to export gas to Japan.
