Indonesia’s ANTARA News has interviewed President Truong Tan Sang on his State visit to Indonesia from June 27-28.

The following is the full text of the interview.

Question 1: What is the purpose of your visit to Indonesia?
 
Answer:

I am leading a high-level delegation to the Republic of Indonesia from June 27-28 for a state visit at the invitation of President Susilo BambangYudhoyono.

Indonesia has always been a key partner of Vietnam in ASEAN and the region. I rejoice at the excellent progress in our bilateral relations in various domains since the signing of the “Joint Statement on the Framework of Friendly and Comprehensive Cooperation Entering the 21st Century” in June 2003. My visit this time to Indonesia, along with other visits of the two sides’ leadership, once again testifies to a fact that it is a consistent foreign policy of Vietnam to value and wish to further deepen the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with the Republic of Indonesia. The visit also offers a good opportunity for both sides to officially elevate our bilateral relations to a new height, matching the role, prestige and potential of each country as well as the excellent friendship nurtured by generations of the two nations.

In that connection, during my visit to the Republic of Indonesia, President Yudhoyono and I will be announcing the decision to officially upgrade bilateral relations to a strategic partnership. President Yudhoyono and I will be discussing the progress of bilateral cooperation in specific areas and major directions to expand and deepen bilateral relations for practical contribution to the prosperity of each nation, for peace, stability, cooperation in the region, as well as for an enhanced solidarity of ASEAN in the community building.

President Yudhoyono and I will also be discussing measures to further strengthen the tradition of close bilateral collaboration at regional and international forums, particularly at ASEAN and the United Nations as well as APEC and the Non-Aligned Movement. We will also exchange views on a number of regional and international issues of mutual concerns.

Question 2: How importance is Indonesia for Vietnam in general?

Answer:

Vietnam and Indonesia are close neighbours and members of ASEAN. The two countries share multiple similarities in history, culture as well as a tradition of struggling for national independence and the interest of developing countries. The Vietnamese people rejoice at the enormous achievements that Indonesian people have obtained in national construction and development as well as in preserving the identity of a multi-ethnic country with an age-old history and a rich and diverse culture.

Vietnam appreciates the positive contributions of Indonesia for the past many years to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. As a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and ASEAN, Indonesia has made many contributions to the two organisations, and put forth various initiatives to bring about peace and stability in the region, especially in the period when countries in the Indochina peninsula were still torn by wars. Today, Indonesia continues to play a key role in ASEAN, and is making positive contributions under multilateral frameworks such as the UN, APEC, and ASEM.

Vietnam always places much significance on Indonesia and regards the latter as a traditional partner of friendship and effective cooperation, and also a country with growing role and profile in the Asia-Pacific and the world. Furthermore, Indonesia, as a member of G20-the group of the world’s twenty biggest economies, and Vietnam shares various similar viewpoints in issues related to the overall peace, security and development of the entire region. On the basis of the shared views and values within ASEAN, Vietnam will be working closely with Indonesia and other members to build a stronger and more united Community.

On this occasion, I would like to convey my sincere wishes of friendship to the Indonesian people. I do hope that the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two peoples would continue to grow further.-VNA