JAKARTA: Singapore plans to open a consulate cum trade office on the neighbouring Indonesian island of Batam by year's end.
The facility will help Singaporean businessmen and visitors to the island. It will also give a further push to the Free Trade Zone of Batam, Bintan and Karimun - jointly developed by Singapore and Indonesia.
The plan was revealed by Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo after talks with his Indonesian counterpart, Hassan Wirajuda, in Jakarta. Related Video - http://tinyurl.com/58zttv
Mr Yeo is scheduled to review the progress of the Free Trade Zone with Indonesia's Vice-President, Jusuf Kalla, who is overseeing the joint project on the Indonesian side.
Mr Yeo said: "It's been two years now since the framework agreement was signed. The authorities have been established. So this is a good time now to give it a further push."
The Free Trade Zone provides special tax breaks under Indonesian law. Authorities hope to attract foreign companies to set up operations in the zone and provide jobs to Indonesians.
During their one-hour discussion, Mr Yeo and his Indonesian counterpart also touched on the possibility of reviving the growth triangle concept involving Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
"We agreed that it's a good time now to revive the Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapore growth triangle, and to put this to the trade ministers to reconvene the meetings and to make use of the present favourable situation to enhance cooperation among the three countries for mutual benefits."
Both ministers said they did not discuss the Extradition Treaty and Defence Cooperation Agreement which Indonesia has asked for a review after its parliament refused to rectify them.
On the regional front, ASEAN-led humanitarian assistance to cyclone-stricken Myanmar was at the top of their agenda, following the special meeting in Singapore last week.
ASEAN foreign ministers will be in Yangon this weekend for a follow-up meeting on the Myanmar aid issue. Myanmar has agreed to a joint mechanism between the United Nations and ASEAN to coordinate emergency effort to help cyclone survivors in Myanmar.
Exactly how that mechanism would work remains unclear, but the United Nations and ASEAN are hosting a donor meeting on Sunday in Yangon to raise money for the operation. - CNA/ir
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