"We agree to increase cooperation in international forums such as the United Nations (UN), the forum between the African Union and ASEAN and in other international forums," Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and Liberia have agreed to continue boosting cooperation and building mutual understanding in international forums so that both nations will enjoy mutual benefits.
"We agree to increase cooperation in international forums such as the United Nations (UN), the forum between the African Union and ASEAN and in other international forums," Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here on Monday.
The president made the statement in a joint press conference with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf after holding a bilateral meeting in the State Palace.
Yudhoyono said the increased cooperation in international forums would also increase opportunities to explore cooperation with others.
In the meantime, President Sirleaf appreciated cooperation that had been established between the two countries in various fields, including cooperation in supporting the UN peacekeeping forces by sending peacekeepers.
"The two sides share common views on the UN peacekeeping forces," the Liberian president said.
She said that Liberia would send its military officers to train and exchange views in the peacekeeping training center in Sentul, Bogor, West Java.
On the occasion, the governments of Indonesia and Liberia signed a cooperation agreement on industry and trade.
"Today, we signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the fields of industrial technical assistance, transfer of technology and distribution," President Sirleaf said.
She said that when President Yudhoyono visited Monrovia last January, both countries agreed a number of cooperation agreements which now saw a number of positive follow-ups.
"The cooperation agreements signed in Monrovia have boosted further cooperation between the two countries. We thank Indonesia for having taken follow-up to the cooperation, for example, sending a trade delegation to Monrovia," the Liberian president said.
In the meantime, President Yudhoyono said a number of agreements had been implemented by the ministries and the private sector of both nations.
"This indicates that both countries want good implementation of what they have agreed. Our bilateral meeting today reinforces what we have reached in Monrovia," President Yudhoyono said.
He said cooperation was aimed at trade and investment. Indonesia would encourage bigger investment in the agricultural, marine and fisheries as well as industrial fields in Liberia.
In the field of trade, both countries agreed to promote their trade potentials.
"We want to increase our rice productivity as well as technical cooperation in the industrial products and trade promotion. We also agreed to cooperate in the educational and human resources fields," the head of state said.
Sirleaf arrived at Merdeka Palace at 10 am for the bilateral meeting which was followed by the signing of several agreements of cooperation in various fields between the two countries.
On the occasion President Yudhoyono was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Economy Hatta Rajasa, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Dkoko Suyanto, Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan, Industry Minister MS Hidayat and several other ministers.
The Liberian president was accompanied by among others Foreign Minister Augustine Ngafuan, Agriculture Minister Florence Chenoweth, Trade and Industry Minister Miata Beysolow, and Liberian Ambassador to Indonesia Youngor Telewoda.
Earlier on Saturday, presidential special staff for international relations Teuku Faizasyah said the visit to Indonesia by Liberian President and and Nobel Peach Price Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf would be an opportunity for the two heads of state to closely monitor the progress of the implementation of various agreements which had been reached during a visit to Monrovia by President Yudhoyono.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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