Socialist Republic of Vietnam

12 (VNA) -- Viet Nam and Indonesia issued in Jakarta today, Nov. 12, a joint press statement on President Tran Duc Luong's visit to Indonesia from Nov. 10-12.

The statement says that Indonesia's President Megawati Sukarnoputri warmly welcomed President Luong's visit, saying that it was of great significance to the consolidation and promotion of the two countries' solidarity and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit.

President Luong and President Megawati held talks in an atmosphere of friendship, mutual understanding, and trust. The two Heads of State expressed satisfaction at the growing development of the Viet Nam-Indonesia traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation in politics, foreign relations, economics, and culture in recent years.

President Megawati expressed her admiration for the important achievements recorded by the Vietnamese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam in the renovation process and in socio-economic development, thus raising Viet Nam's role in the region and the world. President Megawati wished Viet Nam more and greater achievements in building a powerful country and providing the people with an equal, democratic, progressive, and prosperous society, making Viet Nam an industrialized country by 2020, thus contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world at large.

President Luong highly valued efforts made by the Indonesian Government and people in maintaining political stability, territorial integrity, and national unity as well as in developing and strengthening solidarity and cooperation in ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific region, and the world.

The two Presidents were pleased at the outcome of the third session of the Viet Nam-Indonesia Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific, and Technological Cooperation held in Jakarta from Nov. 1-3.

The two sides welcomed the signing of the protocol on amendments to the 1990 Agreement on Economic, Scientific, and Technological Cooperation. They agreed to increase their annual two-way trade value to USD 1 billion in the coming period. In this spirit, they emphasised their commitment to taking measures to boost rice trading in keeping with the MOUs signed on July 6 and August 29 of this year. They agreed to promote barter trade and set up a mechanism for payment in barter transactions. They also agreed to promote investment and create favourable conditions for businesses of the two countries to invest in preferential fields, especially the production of export items from farm produce.

The two Heads of State asked ministers and senior officials to actively implement agreements between the two sides.

The two sides agreed to conduct further negotiations on granting visa waivers for Vietnamese and Indonesian passport holders.

They agreed to resume talks on the re-opening of direct flights between the two countries, especially between Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta in order to boost bilateral cooperation in economics, commerce, and tourism.

They emphasised the importance of delineating the continental shelf between the two countries, and lauded the progress made at the recent talks held by experts in this field, saying this will further promote friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries. They agreed to settle the issue as soon as possible.

President Luong and President Megawati acknowledged the importance of promoting cooperation between Viet Nam and Indonesia within the ASEAN framework as well as at regional forums with a view to strengthening security and prosperity in the region.

They applauded the important results of the APEC Leaders' Meeting in Shanghai on Oct. 20 and 21, 2001 and the ASEAN Summit in Brunei from Nov. 5-6, 2001. They acknowledged that Viet Nam's joining the WTO and its integration into the regional and global economy will play an important role in the sustainable development and prosperity of Viet Nam and the region as well. In this spirit, Indonesia asserted its support for Viet Nam's joining the WTO.

The two sides reaffirmed their agreement with the ASEAN leaders' Statement on the fight against terrorism issued at the ASEAN Summit held in Brunei on November 5 and 6 and the APEC leaders' statement issued at the APEC summit in Shanghai on October 20 and 21. The two Heads of State held that in the context that the international situation has become complicated since the Sept. 11 attacks on the U.S., it is more necessary to promote cooperation among ASEAN, in the region and the world as a whole, in the fight against trans-national crimes including terrorism, weapon smuggling, money laundering, sea piracy, drug smuggling, and illegal immigration.

During the visit, President Luong had a working session with Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly (MRP) Prof. Amien Rais, laid a wreath at the Monument to Fallen Heroes; visited the export processing zone on the outskirts of Jakatar; and met with members of the Indonesian business circle.

The two sides reached the same view that the fruitful visit to Indonesia by President Luong would further boost the Viet Nam-Indonesia traditional friendship and cooperation. They expressed their belief that the two sides would exchange more visits of ministers and senior officials as well as other levels.

President Luong expressed sincere thanks to President Magawatti as well as the Government and people of Indonesia for having warmly welcomed him and his party. He invited President Megawati and her husband to pay an official visit to Viet Nam. The timing of the visit will be arranged through diplomatic channels. The invitation was accepted with pleasure.--VNA