RI TO HELP TRAIN PALESTINE BIZMEN

Jakarta, Oct. 15 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government will help train more Palestinian businessmen as part of the country's support for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.

"To help prepare a sovereign Palestinian state, Indonesia is committed to help train businessmen in character building," Deputy Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Scale Businesses (SMEs) Neddy Rafinaldi Halim said here on Thursday.

The first phase of the training program will be held in Jakarta in June 2010 and participated in by around 40 Palestinian businessmen.

"We have set aside a budget for the 2010 and 2014 training programs on character building for Palestinian businessmen in Indonesia," he said.

Character building is essential for those pioneering businesses in Palestine, according to Halim.

Indonesia had suggested that for the first stage, Palesine would send 10 people consisting of three bureaucrats and seven businessmen or prominent figures.

The Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry will bear training and accommodation expenses for the Palestinians.

For the year 2010, the ministry has allocated funds amounting to Rp600 million for the training program.

Halim had earlier visited Palestine to have a close loot at the business environment in war-torn Palestine.

In Palestine, he was received by the Palestinian economic deputy minister.

Indonesia and Jordan which shares borders with Palestine, will establish a business council to facilitate training, information dissemination, partnership and expense consultation.

The Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry plans to hold an exhibition on Indonesian cooperatives and SMEs' products in Jordan.