REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, ASTANA -- Vice President Jusuf Kalla said there is potential for Indonesia to boost its export and import activities with Kazakhstan, which is still not optimal.

"So far, the trade relation is also small, because (it has not increased due) to the distance, but there is potential to increase our exports and imports from Kazakhstan," the vice president said in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Saturday.

Kalla stated this after having previously paid an honorary visit to the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev at the Prime Minister's Office of Kazakhstan in Astana.

The vice president noted that the potential of export and import include flour from Kazakhstan and palm oil, coffee, and tea from Indonesia.

According to Kalla, the low level of imports and exports with Kazakhstan was due to considerable distance with Indonesia and also due to the difficulty of transportation and the absence` of port in Kazakhstan as it has no sea.

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In addition to discussing the potential of import and export, Kalla also took the opportunity to seek support on several matters and discussed the implementation of the entire program of Islamic countries in the field of technology during the meeting.

Kalla made a trip to Kazakhstan in order to attend the First Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Science and Technology (Iptek).

The two-day summit will be opened by the President of Kazakshtan at the Palace of Independence Tauelsizdik Ave 52, Astana, Kazakhstan, on Sunday (Sept 10).

The vice president, who was accompanied by Mrs. Mufidah Jusuf Kalla, arrived in Astana, Kazakhstan on Friday evening at around 22:30 local time.

He was also accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Minister of Research and Technology and Higher Education Mohamad Nasir, and National Police Deputy chief Commissioner General Syafruddin.

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