First bilateral meeting between foreign ministers of Latvia and Indonesia

On 26 May, on the sidelines of the ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, Noer Hassan Wirajuda. This was the first bilateral meeting of foreign ministers in the history of diplomatic relations between Latvia and Indonesia.

Foreign Minister Riekstins proposed to develop Latvia-Indonesia co-operation by organising political consultations between the foreign ministries of both countries as well as by encouraging entrepreneurs to take advantage of co-operation opportunities with Indonesia. The ministers agreed that the establishment of a legal framework has a vital importance for the strengthening of economic co-operation. With regard to this, the Latvian side expressed its interest to conclude with Indonesia an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion.

The foreign ministers of Latvia and Indonesia noted with satisfaction the successful co-operation between both countries in the field of culture and education, highlighting in particular the days of Indonesian handicrafts and culture which took place on 16 May in the Museum of Foreign Art in Riga, as well as a seminar dedicated to Indonesia in the University of Latvia in April and a guest lecture by an Indonesian professor in the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. The ministers noted that both the Embassy of Indonesia in Stockholm and the Latvian honorary consuls Ayub Junus in Djakarta and Jahja Santoso in Bandung have made their contribution to the promotion of bilateral contacts between the countries.  

Latvia and Indonesia established diplomatic relations on 25 August 1993. Latvia has not appointed an ambassador to Indonesia, whereas the Ambassador of Indonesia to Latvia is Linggawaty Hakim, residing in Stockholm, Sweden.

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