VISITING INDONESIAN PRESIDENT SUSILO BAMBANG YUDHOYONO TODAY ATTENDED THE SAUDI - INDONESIAN BUSINESS FORUM WHICH WAS HELD AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE SAUDI CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY IN RIYADH. ADDRESSING THE FORUM, CHAIRMAN OF THE SAUDI CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ABDULRAHMAN ALJERAISI SAID THIS MEETING IS A FOLLOW-UP OF THE CONTIUING DIALOGUE BETWEEN SAUDI AND INDONESIAN BUSINESSMEN TO IMPROVE THE INVESTMENT AND COMMERCIAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE PEOPLES OF THE TWO COUNTRIES, NOTING THAT THE TOTAL TRADE BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES STOOD AT $2.38 BILLION IN 2004. ON HIS PART, THE PRESIDENT SAID SAUDI ARABIA STANDS IN THE HEARTLAND OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD, WHILE INDONESIA IS HOME TO THE WORLD'S LARGEST MUSLIM POPULATION. AND BOTH COUNTRIES ARE STRIVING TO MODENIZE , TO CARRY OUT MEANINGFUL SOCIAL REFORMS. HENCE, WE OUGHT TO COOPERATE TO ACHIEVE DEVELOPING FRIM TIES. HE ADDED THAT WE HAVE A LONG TRADITION OF SOLIDARITY. ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS WHEN INDONESIA WAS IN DIFFIICULTIES, SAUDI ARABIA WAS AMONG THE FIRST OF OUR FRIENDS TO COME TO OUR AID. AND WE HAVE SIMILAR VIEWS ON MANY REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL ISSUES. HE SAID IN 2004, SAUDI ARABIA WAS THE BIGGEST COUNTRY THAT INVESTED IN INDONESIA WITH TOTAL VALUE OF US$3.02 BILLION INCLUDING 35 PROJECTS IN SEVERAL SECTORS SUCH AS ENERGY, OIL AND GAS, METAL, CHEMICAL INDUSTRY, HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, REAL ESTATE, AND OTHER SECTORS. IN 2005, SAUDI ARABIA'S INVESTEMENT REACHED THE AMOUNT OF $2.1 BILLION. --MORE 1932 Local Time 1632 GMT
