I believe your visit would strengthen our bilateral cooperation and partnership."
Bogor, West Java (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met with visiting Solomon Islands prime minister Gordon Darcy Lilo at the presidential palace in Bogor, West Java, on Monday.

President Yudhoyono welcomed Gordon Darcy Lilo`s courtesy call saying "I believe your visit would strengthen our bilateral cooperation and partnership."

"Our relations have been good and improving and I believe you agree with me that we could work more in the years ahead to strengthen and develop our bilateral cooperation and partnership," he said.

Prime Minister Gordon and delegation who have been in Indonesia since August 11 arrived at the palace at around 2pm. This is the prime minister`s first visit to Indonesia.

President Yudhoyono said there are a lot of opportunities that the two countries could exploit to develop cooperation.

Prime Minister Gordon expressed his agreement on increasing bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

In the meeting President Yudhoyono was flanked by foreign minister Marty Natalegawa, coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs Djoko Suyanto, minister/state secretary Sudi Silalahi, finance minister Chatib Basri, education minister M Nuh, minister of marine resources and fisheries Syarif Cicip Suardjo and cabinet secretary Dipo Alam.

Prime Minister Gordon meanwhile was accompanied by minister of development planning and aid coordination Connely Sandakabatu and chairperson of the Government Caucus Namson Tram.

The meeting lasted for about half an hour.

Presidential special staff for foreign relations Teuku Faizasyah said bilateral relations between the two countries in various fields have been on the increase in the past few years.

Trade between the two countries was recorded at US$15.88 million in 2012 with a US$9.1 million surplus for Indonesia and has been increasing by 17.28 percent a year in the past five years.

Solomon Islands located east of Papua New Guinea has been participating in a number of technical cooperation programs held by Indonesia in the fields of energy, fishery, rural development, media as well as arts and culture.

(Reporting by Muhammad Arief Iskandar/Uu.H-YH/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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