Indonesia and Tunisia Agree to Improve Bilateral Relation
Wednesday, 22 November, 2006 | 16:31 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Indonesia and Tunisia have agreed to improve bilateral cooperation in economic, political, social, scientific and educational sectors.

This agreement was reached during a meeting between Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Tunisia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Abdelwaheb Abdallah, Wednesday (22/11) at the vice president’s office, Jakarta.

Abdelwaheb Abdallah said that Indonesia and Tunisia have the same view in terms of creating world peace and stability.

“I hope historical connections can support Indonesia and Tunisia relations,” he said.

Tunisia is an African country where the majority of the population are Muslims.

This country was a participant in the Asia-Africa Conference (KAA) in Bandung in 1955.

Abdelwaheb said that in the trade sector, Tunisia currently exports phosphate as a raw material for fertilizer and dates to Indonesia.

It imports manufactured products and rubber from Indonesia.

Currently, Tunisia suffers a trade deficit with Indonesia and last year, the total trade balance reached US$30 million.

Indonesia’s exports to Tunisia reached US$17.6 million and imports US$12.8 million.

In the first half of this year, the trade balance reached US$21 million.

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