By Xinhua,
Jakarta : Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Friday vowed to boost bilateral cooperation in the sectors of defense, environment and economy.
The two leaders met at the State Palace and discussed regional and international issues.
The two countries signed the declaration of partnership on security treaty in Lombok Island in eastern parts of Indonesia on April 4, 2005.
President Susilo said that the security cooperation included the police cooperation, exchange visit among military officers, education and joint exercise of the two defense forces.
After their meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing of agreement on forest carbon partnership.
Indonesia has attempted to reduce its forest destruction by planting more trees.
According to a World Bank report, the archipelago-country Indonesia is now also the world’s third biggest greenhouse gas emitter, mainly due to deforestation, land clearing and forest fires.
On the area of economic cooperation, Prime Minister Rudd said that the relationship between the two countries had been getting stronger.
President Susilo said that the trade volume between the countries grew by an average of 14 percent per year. The trade volume of the two countries was 6.4 billion U.S. dollars last year.
The president invited investors from Australia to invest in Indonesia.
Indonesia’s foreign direct investment last year rose by 73 percent, he said.
Rudd met Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla, House Speaker Agung Laksono and ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan on Thursday afternoon..
He is to visit Aceh province on Saturday before returning to Australia.
In Aceh province, the prime minister was scheduled to meet with the governor of the province and Australians working for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the province after tsunami, according to the Indonesian state spokesman Dino Patti Djalal.
Rudd would attend the inauguration of the center of aqua culture development in the province, said Dino.
Australia is one of the biggest trade partners of Indonesia with trade volume of 6.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2007. The two countries started diplomatic ties in 1949.