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Jokowi forges understanding in series of bilateral meetings

As the host of the 60th Asian-African Conference Commemoration, many guests, including Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab, were eager to pay a courtesy call or hold bilateral talks with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo

Ina Parlina (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Fri, April 24, 2015

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Jokowi forges understanding in series of bilateral meetings

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s the host of the 60th Asian-African Conference Commemoration, many guests, including Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab, were eager to pay a courtesy call or hold bilateral talks with President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo.

In their talks, Jokowi and Rouhani agreed that strong cooperation among Muslim-majority countries could aid in efforts to promote moderate Islam and prevent radicalism.

'€œJoint efforts to eradicate terrorism is needed,'€ Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjojanto said after accompanying the President in the bilateral meeting.

Indonesia and Iran agreed to boost two-way trade amid decreasing bilateral trade activities between the two countries. Rouhani also told his host that private infrastructure and energy businesses from Iran were ready to invest in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Indonesia and Egypt also concluded that stability in the Middle East could be maintained through peaceful solution.

'€œWe will step up defense dialogue between Indonesia and Egypt, and Indonesia offered some of the products of its strategic defense industry to Egypt,'€ Andi added.

In separate bilateral meetings with Indonesia, Vietnam and Madagascar also expressed interest in procuring Indonesian defense products, Andi said.

Separately, Thai Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha assured Jokowi on Thursday that his government would strengthen cooperation in combating illegal fishing in Indonesian waters.

The general, who got his position after toppling a democratically elected government, also promised to punish Thai citizens who were involved in the illicit activities here. Thai fishermen were among those who were recently arrested by the government for illegal fishing in Indonesian waters.

'€œThe point is that they want to solve problems related to illegal fishing and punish their [Thai] companies that committed crimes here,'€ said Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti, who along with Andi Widjajanto, accompanied Jokowi during the meeting with Prayut.

The Thai government recently revealed a plan to monitor their fishing vessels with 7,000 vessel monitoring systems (VMS) to make sure their vessels only fish legally.

Meanwhile, the two countries also agreed to form a working group to address and discuss more concrete measures in combating illegal fishing, according to Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir.

In Jokowi'€™s meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Truong Tang Sang, the two leaders also agreed to boost sea patrol cooperation.

On Thursday, Jokowi also held a bilateral meeting with North Korea'€™s chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People'€™s Assembly, Kim Yong-nam.

The President, meanwhile, discussed investment in the oil and gas industry and infrastructure with Timor Leste Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak.

Meanwhile, Indonesia and Bangladesh also agreed to establish a joint committee to discuss investment and trade during a meeting between Jokowi and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla also held bilateral meetings with a number of leaders, including Deputy South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Woo-yea, in which the two countries agreed to maintain Korean investment. Korea is among the top 10 foreign investors in Indonesia.

'€œKorea is among countries with the highest investment in Indonesia,'€ Kalla said after the meeting. '€œWe also agreed to boost trade and industry cooperation.'€

Hwang Woo-yea said that '€œthe two countries have established good ties; [we] will also continue [cooperation] in the economic sector.'€

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