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RI, Timor Leste amp up relations as younger nation seeks ASEAN seat
Indonesia and Timor Leste agree to strengthen economic ties as the younger nation seeks to secure a seat at the ASEAN table.
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This handout picture taken and released on July 19 by the Presidential Palace shows President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (right) and his Timor Leste counterpart Jose Ramos Horta attending a joint press conference after their meeting at the Bogor Palace.
(AFP/handout)
I
ndonesia and Timor Leste have agreed to strengthen economic ties as the younger nation seeks to secure a place at the ASEAN table. On Tuesday, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo welcomed to the Bogor Palace newly sworn-in Timor Leste President Jose Ramos Horta on his first overseas trip.
Jokowi held a tête-à-tête with Ramos Horta, followed by a bilateral meeting between their delegations, during which they also discussed ways to make traveling by sea and land easier and to conclude negotiations on demarcation of two unresolved land border segments – Noel Besi-Citrana and Bijael Sunan-Oben.
Accompanying Jokowi in the bilateral meeting was Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi, along with several other Cabinet members and the Indonesian ambassador to Timor Leste. Ramos Horta, meanwhile, was accompanied by several ministers and the Timor Leste envoy to Indonesia.
Speaking at the press conference after the event, Jokowi said that it was an honor for Indonesia to host Ramos Horta’s first overseas trip after his inauguration.
“We talked about many aspects of bilateral cooperation in an open and friendly manner. The commitment to strengthen economic cooperation was the focus of our discussions,” Jokowi said.
He said he also wanted to see bilateral trade increase, encouraging the two countries to move toward forging a bilateral investment treaty. Indonesia’s investment in Timor Leste currently amounts to about US$818 million, notably in the financial, oil and gas, as well as telecommunication sectors, according to Jokowi.
“Seeing the positive trends in bilateral trade, I believe that we can continue to increase it further,” he said.
