20000209

India and Indonesia sign tourism agreement

NEW DELHI: Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid began a two-day visit to India on Tuesday with the two countries signing a tourism cooperation agreement.

Under the pact, both countries will increase tourist arrivals and step up investment in tourism. A working group will be set up to review the implementation of the tourism agreement.

Wahid, who is on a swing through Europe and Asia, held talks on global and regional issues with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and was due to meet President K.R. Narayanan later on Tuesday.

"India is one of the sources of our culture," he told reporters soon after a welcome ceremony at the red sandstone presidential palace.

Wahid, who is accompanied by a business delegation, is scheduled to address Indian business chambers on Wednesday.

His visit to New Delhi is part of a tour also covering Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Britain, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, the Vatican, Czech Republic, Belgium, South Korea and Thailand.

Wahid is seeking to drum up badly needed foreign investment for Indonesia which has been in the grip of an economic crisis since 1997. -Reuters