Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono have agreed to instruct the two governments to bring bilateral relations to a new height towards the formation of a strategic partnership.

PM Dung and Indonesia President Yudhoyono reached agreement at their talks after a welcome ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta , Indonesia , on the morning of Sept. 14.

President Yudhoyono spoke highly of PM Dung’s selection of Indonesia as one of the first nations to visit after he was re-elected as Vietnamese PM.

Yudhoyono said PM Dung’s visit will help consolidate and promote the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

The Indonesian President highlighted Vietnam ’s prompt and drastic measures to control inflation, stabilise the macro-economy and ensure social security.

PM Dung spoke highly of Indonesia ’s successful organisation of the 18 th ASEAN Summit in May and the 44 th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and relevant meetings in July this year.

Both host and guest shared the view that the two countries have potential and strengths for the development of bilateral relations.

Both sides agreed to further cooperate in the fields of politics, security and defence, economic- trade- investment, agro-fisheries, culture, education-training, and sports-physical training.

PM Dung proposed the two sides soon organise the sixth session of the Vietnam-Indonesia Joint Committee for Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation.

Dung took the occasion to welcome Indonesia ’s proposal to set up a Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation at the foreign ministerial level.

The two leaders were unanimous on boosting cooperation in trade and investment promotion activities and encouraging cooperation in the private sector.

Both host and guest highlighted the two countries’ close coordination and cooperation at international and regional forums.

PM Dung reaffirmed that Vietnam will support Indonesia in fulfilling its term as ASEAN Chair this year, contributing to promoting intra-bloc connectivity and building the ASEAN Community by 2015.

After the talks, PM Dung and President Yudhoyono witnessed the signing ceremony of the Vietnam-Indonesia Action Programme for the 2012-2015 period and a memorandum of understanding on joint activities to promote information exchange and bilateral consultation between the two foreign ministries.

Meeting with the press after the talks, PM Dung affirmed Vietnam always welcomes and creates favourable conditions for Indonesian businesses to invest in Vietnam and proposed the Indonesian Government formulate policies and measures to assist Vietnamese businesses to penetrate the Indonesian market.

PM Dung said that both sides discussed the two countries’ cooperation at international and regional forums including the East Sea issue and the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and working towards building the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

President Yudhoyono said Indonesia always considers Vietnam as a coordinating centre in the Mekong river sub-region, adding that Indonesia would boost investment activities in Vietnam to bring two-way trade to 5 billion USD before 2015.

On the regional and world situation, President Yudhoyono affirmed the stance of supporting the settlement of issues of different perception of the East Sea through peaceful ways based on international law.

Later the same day, PM Dung met with Speaker of the Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly Taufik Kiemas, praising Indonesia ’s role of ASEAN Chair 2011.

PM Dung stressed that Vietnam always attaches importance to boosting cooperation with Indonesia, as the two countries occupies important positions and roles in ASEAN and the region and boast favourable conditions and potential to develop those relations.

He said deepening relations between the two countries will not only contribute to the interests of the two people, but also actively contribute to peace, stability and development in the region and the process to build the ASEAN Community.

Briefing Speaker Taufik Kiemas about his talks with Indonesian President Yudhoyono, PM Dung said that the signing of the Vietnam-Indonesia Action Programme for 2012-2015 will create a favourable legal foundation for the two nations to continue boosting cooperation.

He suggested that the two sides expand cooperation in other fields, including national defence and security, culture, sports, tourism, health care, science and technology, agriculture and fisheries.

PM Dung also proposed the two sides continue exchanging delegations, especially the exchange of visits by parliamentarians of the two legislative bodies, while the two parliaments need to boost cooperation and mutual support at regional and international forums, especially at the World Parliamentary Alliance and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.

Speaker Taufik Kiemas expressed his belief that PM Dung’s visit would become a landmark to further boost the two countries’ relations towards a strategic partnership.

The Indonesian parliamentary leader called on Vietnam to support Indonesia in its term as ASEAN Chair in 2011, thus contributing to building on ASEAN’s achievements, including the East Sea issue.

On the afternoon of Sept. 14, PM Dung and his entourage left Jakarta , concluding the official visit to Indonesia. /.