President to visit Australia, Papua New Guinea in March

President to visit Australia, Papua New Guinea in March
Erwida Maulia , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Thu, 02/18/2010 6:37 PM | National

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will head to Australia and Papua New Guinea next month in his premier visit to the two countries after being re-elected last year.

Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said here Thursday Yudhoyono, accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono and some Cabinet ministers, would depart on March 8 to Canberra, before leaving for Sydney and then Papua New Guinea on March 11.

The President's entourage will return to Jakarta on March 12.

Dino said during his stay in Canberra, Yudhoyono would have a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and discuss a range of bilateral, regional and international issues.

"Indonesia and Australia have been experiencing intensive convergence in term of their national interests, which now also cover climate change and terrorism issues, and their participation in the global economic reform as mutual members of the G20...," Dino told a press conference at the Presidential Office.

"President Yudhoyono has close work and personal relationships with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. As we know, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd came to Jakarta when President Yudhoyono was inaugurated for his second term last year," he added.

Besides meeting with Rudd, Dino said, Yudhoyono will pay a courtesy call to Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia Quentin Bryce and Australian opposition leader Tony Abbot.

The President is also scheduled to address members of the Australian parliament in a "rare-opportunity" speech in Canberra before heading to Sydney for a business meeting.

"I must say that Indonesia and Australia are in good relationship, and the President's big agenda is to maintain the course and momentum of the strategic partnership having been established between Indonesia and Australia," Dino said.

He added that the bilateral relationship between the two countries had been largely improving since the signing of the strategic partnership declaration by Yudhoyono and then Australian Prime Minister John Howard in 2005.

Upon his arrival in Papua New Guinea on March 11, Dino said, Yudhoyono will meet with Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Michael Somare.

"They will discuss various aspects in cooperation, especially on how to improve the economic and trade relationship.”