Australia PM Plans Indonesia Trip by Year's End
Padang. Recently appointed Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull intends to make a trip to Indonesia within the next two months, Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop confirmed on Friday.
"We're hoping that the prime minister could visit President Widodo this year. Both of them have already had very constructive and positive talks," Bishop said on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) ministerial meeting in Padang, West Sumatra.
Bishop arrived on Thursday night at the Sumatran province, which has been severely affected by haze from forest and peatland fires.
She said that the two leaders would like to strengthen ties between their nations as both face global and regional challenges.
Bishop added that Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb would also bring an Australian delegation consisting of 250 business executives to Indonesia for three days from Nov. 17.
"They will meet their partners here to discuss opportunities of boosting bilateral trade and the economy," Bishop said.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's foreign affairs minister also said that Indonesia and Australia will organize a meeting between foreign affairs and defense ministries to be held on Dec. 21 .
"We will also talk about Australia's plan to open a consulate general office in Makassar [South Sulawesi], which they target [to begin operations] next year," Minister Retno Marsudi said.
Australian-Indonesian relations have been strained in recent years, over spying and asylum seeker issues as well as the execution of two Australian nationals in Indonesia for drug offenses, in April.
However more recently, Australia has been helping Indonesia fight the haze-causing wildfires.
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