Putin visit to open new era for Russia-RI ties

9/5/2007

JAKARTA : Despite visits by several Indonesian presidents, from Sukarno to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, no Russian -- or Soviet -- president has visited Indonesia for five decades.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin will soon make this record history when he visits the world's fourth most populous nation Thursday.

Putin's landmark Jakarta visit will prompt the strengthening of bilateral relations between Russia and Indonesia, analysts say.

The visit is also seen as underscoring the growing importance of Indonesia in Russia's quest to return to global prominence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989. Present-day Russia is the heir to two-thirds of the Soviet Union's vast territory and resources.

"The visit opens a new era for Russian and Indonesian relations. With Russia almost out of its transition phase after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it is essential that it seeks to foster an alliance with Indonesia if it wants to balance theU.S.," said Hariyadi Wirawan, an international relations expert at the University of Indonesia.

The last visit by any Russian leader to Indonesia was by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev when he met with Indonesia's first president Sukarno in Jakarta in the 1950s.

Russia and Indonesia are expected to sign weapons, mining and oil deals worth billions of dollars during this week's visit.

Putin, who will be accompanied by business leaders -- including the chairman of Lukoil, Vagit Alekperov, the head of the Trade and Industry Chamber, and billionaire investor Vladimir Yevtushenkov -- will meet with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday during a one-day stopover on his way to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum inSydney, Australia.

Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said that both leaders will discuss ways to improve investment and trade relations, which reached only US$680 million in 2006.

"This is very a small (amount) compared to our hugepotential," he said.

Russia would extend a US$1 billion line of credit to Indonesia to buy Russian military hardware, said spokesman Dino Patti. (Abdul Khalik)