Bilateral meeting with Azerbaijan DPM

Jakarta. “I wish we can strengthen people-to-people relationship between Indonesia and Azerbaijan, for instance by exchanging cultures,” said Vice President Jusuf Kalla when receiving Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Echin Afandiyev on the sidelines of the 5th Extraordinary Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif at Nuri Room 1, Jakarta Convention Center, Monday (March, 7).

That statement was a response to Afandiyev’s compliment to Twilight Orchestra’s performance conducted by Addie M.S. during last night dinner welcoming OIC Summit delegates.

Afandiyef wished the orchestra perform in his country.

“Culture will bring people stick together,” he said.

Apart from culture, the meeting talked about bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, especially in oil and gas sector.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said who was also present at the meeting said he had visited Azerbaijan to discuss the chance of cooperation in that sector.

At the moment, Indonesia is Azerbaijan’s main export destination for oil and gas products. Vice President Jusuf Kalla hoped economic cooperation between the two countries could be enhanced by more Azerbaijan investors to invest in Indonesia.

On the 5th OIC Summit, Mr Kalla asked Azerbaijan and other OIC member states to join forces for the peace in Palestine.

“I hope a bigger role of Islamic countries in the Palestine-Israel peace process,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Echin Afandiyev at the meeting was accompanied by Azerbaijan Ambassador for Indonesia Tamerlan Karayef, Counselor Ruslan Nasibov, Deputy Prime Minister’s Assistant Vulsar Ahmadov and Third Secretary Sami Afandiyev; while Vice President Jusuf Kalla was accompanied by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Deputy Foreign Minister AM Fachir, Indonesian Ambassador for Azerbaijan Husnan Bey Fananie, Head of Vice President Secretariat Mohamad Oemar, and Vice President Deputy on Government Policy Support Dewi Fortuna Anwar. (D/F)