Indonesia and Italy signed on Friday a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance bilateral ties on industrial cooperation.

The deal, inked by Industry Minister Saleh Husin and Italian Ambassador to Indonesia Federico Failla, covers a range of initiatives intended to boost public and private partnership and enhance the quality of exports, according to the Industry Ministry's director general for international industrial cooperation, Agus Tjahajana.

"We will also encourage a number of projects including research and development, technology transfer and technological cooperation," he said.

Cooperation is set to begin next year, and will be conducted in the textile, leather, parts and components and high-technology machinery industries. (rms)(+++)