Indonesia will allow tariff-free imports and give direct market access to some Palestinian goods beginning in the new year, the Indonesian trade minister said yesterday. Palestinian goods now come to Indonesia through Jordan. Starting on Jan. 1, some Palestinian goods will be shipped directly to Indonesia, said Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita.
"We're opening market access for dates and olive oil. This is as requested by Palestine," the minister told reporters in Jakarta, after meeting his Palestinian counterpart at a World Trade Organisation meeting in Buenos Aires. "We're also asking them for a list of products they want to export and they need to import." Lukita also said that Indonesia, which has the world's biggest Muslim population, had stated its support for the Palestinians to become a member of the World Trade Organization.
