President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, ladies and gentlemen,
We are pleased to welcome the President of the Republic of Indonesia to the Kremlin. This is Mr Joko Widodo’s first visit to Moscow as President. We are delighted to have you here.
Let me stress that Indonesia is one of our key partners in the Asia-Pacific. Russian-Indonesian relations are constructive and mutually beneficial and are developing steadily on the basis of long-standing traditions of friendship and mutual assistance.
Let me remind you that our country helped Indonesia build its statehood and strengthen the young republic’s position in the international arena.
With the participation of our specialists, engineers and builders, large transport and industrial infrastructure facilities, stadiums, hospitals, and other important institutions were built in Indonesia, many of which are in operation to this day.
Today's talks with Mr Joko Widodo were held in a business-like manner and were quite substantive.
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Of course, we focused on trade and economic cooperation, which is showing a positive dynamic. In 2021, for example, bilateral trade grew by over 40 percent, and was up by over 65 percent in the first five months of this year. In this context, both sides expressed interest in stepping up the work of the Russian-Indonesian Joint Commission on Trade, Economic and Technical Cooperation.
Additional opportunities for building up mutually beneficial economic partnerships and the growing number of commercial exchanges between our countries open up new opportunities.
We attach much importance to creating a free trade zone between Indonesia and the Eurasian Economic Union. We hope talks on the corresponding draft agreement will be held before the end of the year and will produce results.
Many of our companies, including energy companies, are operating in Indonesia. There is interest in developing the national nuclear power industry. With its unique experience, competences and unparalleled technology, Rosatom State Corporation is willing to take part in joint projects, including projects related to the non-energy use of nuclear technology, for example, in medicine and agriculture.
We have a lot of potential for business cooperation in developing the transport and logistics infrastructure. For example, Russian Railways could take part in implementing Indonesia’s large-scale initiative to move the country’s capital to the island of Kalimantan. Moscow, the Russian capital, which has been developing at a very good pace and with high quality improvements, could also participate in this truly ambitious project.
Naturally, during our talks with Mr Joko Widodo, we focused on important areas of cooperation like humanitarian, cultural, tourist and educational exchanges. The easing of anti-COVID restrictions for travellers and the current visa-free rules will contribute to this. We are discussing the possibility of resuming direct air service between Moscow and the resort island of Bali.
Another promising area for humanitarian cooperation is expanding the inter-regional and inter-religious dialogue with consideration for the fact that Indonesia is the world’s largest Islamic country in population. I would like to mention that recently a delegation from Russia’s Muslim regions visited Jakarta for the first time in history.
Of course, we discussed the issues that are of interest to the entire world today, to all countries. I am referring to deliveries of food and other agricultural products, including mineral fertilisers, to world markets.
We emphasised more than once that the imbalance of the world food markets is a direct consequence of the long-standing irresponsible macroeconomic policy of some states, uncontrolled issuance and the accumulation of unsecured debt. The coronavirus pandemic further aggravated the situation.
However, instead of admitting that their economic policies were misguided, the Western countries are further destabilising global agricultural production by imposing restrictions on Russian and Belarusian fertiliser supplies, impeding exports of Russian grain to world markets, and complicating the insurance of ships with grain and bank payments under trade contracts.
I will emphasise it once again – Russia has been and remains one of the world’s main food producers and exporters. We supply our agricultural products to 161 countries. Last year, we exported over 43 million tonnes of grain, including 33 million tonnes of wheat. This year, we expect good grain harvests, which will allow us to increase our supplies to the external markets up to 50 million tonnes.
Likewise, we are ready to fully meet the demand of agricultural producers in Indonesia and other friendly countries for nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium fertilisers and raw materials for their production. Russia’s share of mineral fertiliser in the world market amounts to 11 percent and exceeds 20 percent in some varieties. Last year, we sent abroad 37 million tonnes of these products.
We certainly intend to continue fulfilling in good faith all of our contractual obligations for the supply of food, fertiliser, energy resources and other critical goods. In this context, we consider it vital to restore the supply chains disrupted by sanctions.
Naturally, during the talks we also discussed some other urgent regional and international issues. I informed the President in detail about the developments in Ukraine.
Russia and Indonesia seek to coordinate their positions in the UN and other international organisations, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that Indonesia will chair next year. Incidentally, Mr Joko Widodo took part in the recent BRICS+ summit as an invited guest.
We definitely support the efforts of Indonesia and the President personally to prepare and hold the G20 meeting that is scheduled to take place in Indonesia this year.
In conclusion, I would like to thank the President once again for our productive talks. I am convinced that today’s agreements will further promote Russia and Indonesia’s multifaceted partnership.
Thank you for your attention.
President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (retranslated): First, I would like to express my gratitude to President Putin for his reception in Moscow.
We discussed some matters and there are some things I talked about during our meeting. First, issues relating to peace and humankind have always been Indonesia’s foreign policy priorities. The Indonesian Constitution requires that Indonesia always seek to make its own contribution to ensuring peace around the world. This is the context for my visit to Kiev and now to Moscow.
Second, as I said in Kiev, although the current situation is still very difficult, I will still say that it is important to move towards a peace settlement and an open dialogue. I handed President Zelensky’s message to President Putin and said I was ready to help establish contact between the two leaders.
Third, we discussed at length the importance of food and fertilisers for the world community. Hundreds of millions of people have been affected by the disruption of food supply logistics, particularly in developing economies.
I appreciate that Mr Putin said that Russia guarantees the security of food and fertiliser supplies not only from Russia but also from Ukraine.
Fourth, for the sake of humankind, I support the UN efforts to reintegrate Russian food products and fertilisers, and Ukrainian food products into the global supply chains. In particular, with respect to supplies from Ukraine by sea, Mr Putin said that he gave guarantees.
Fifth, we took time to discuss cooperation between Russia and Indonesia not only in investment activity and trade but also in tourism. We will continue this cooperation and will establish a [working] group to discuss this issue thoroughly.
In conclusion, I want to say that Indonesia has no other interest than a desire for the war to end as soon as possible and for food, fertiliser and energy supply chains to be restored immediately because this is affecting the lives of hundreds of millions and even billions of people.
I am calling on world leaders to rediscover the spirit of multilateralism, the spirit of peace and cooperation. Only this spirit will allow us to achieve peace.
Thank you, Mr Putin.