Indonesian Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro has hailed Vietnam in its role as Chair of ASEAN 2010 and the successful organisation of meetings, including the ASEAN defence ministers’ meeting (ADMM).

He also praised Vietnamese Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh for organising the ADMM 2010, while meeting with out-going Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Huu Dung in Jakarta on January 26.

Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said he wished to receive assistance from Vietnam in 2011 when Indonesia takes over the ASEAN Chair and hoped for further cooperation between both countries’ defence ministries.

The two governments will soon implement a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in defence, especially between both navies, which was signed in Vietnam by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during his visit last October.

The Minister thanked Ambassador Dung for his contributions to developing ties between the two countries and defence ministries during his three-year term of office in Indonesia .

Earlier on January 25, the Ambassador paid a farewell visit to Taufik Kiemas, Chairman of the Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), who stressed on the need to maintain friendship and cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam, originally forged and fostered by President Sukarno and President Ho Chi Minh./.