RI, NZ bilateral FTA arrangements to conclude within months: FM
The Jakarta Post | Friday, June 26, 2009
RI, NZ bilateral FTA arrangements to conclude within months: FM
Lilian Budianto
Indonesian and New Zealand Free Trade Agreement talks under the auspices of the ASEAN bloc have been progressing well despite the economic crisis and both countries expect the bilateral arrangement can be concluded within months, say foreign ministers.
In a press conference after the meeting with New Zealand counterpart Murray McCully on Thursday in Jakarta, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said Jakarta raised, among other things, the issue of halal certification for New Zealand meat products and the scheme for technical agricultural assistance from Auckland in return for market access.
“We discussed general trade issues and specifically the halal certification of the meat we import from their country. On the Indonesian side, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) will deal with the [issuance of] halal meat certification [for New Zealand products],” he said.
Hassan said there would be further discussion between the countries on the technicalities of meeting the requirements of halal certification, adding that the Ulema Council had already been involved in addressing the problem of the different procedures in issuing certificates.
