Indonesia's Ambassador to Ankara, Amin Rianom, wrapped up his posting in Türkiye with a series of farewell visits, including a stop in Izmir where he spoke with reporters about trade ties between the two countries.
Rianom said annual bilateral trade stands at roughly 800 million USD, a figure he described as well short of what the relationship could support. He pointed to the Asia-Pacific region as the destination of roughly two-thirds of global commerce and urged Turkish entrepreneurs to look beyond traditional northern markets.
The ambassador acknowledged that shipping costs can make Turkish goods pricey in Far Eastern markets, but argued that direct investment and local production in Indonesia would eliminate that disadvantage and keep prices competitive.
Rianom also praised Türkiye's response to the 2004 tsunami, saying Turkish aid workers arrived quietly and delivered meaningful assistance while other nations offered words but little action.
Having traveled across all of Türkiye's provinces during his term, Rianom said the cultural similarities between the two countries made him feel at home throughout his posting.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in April 2006, in its own words.