Indonesia Supports Laotian Cheirmanship of ASEAN

Palm Springs, California, (Antara)- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) held a meeting with Laotian President Choummaly Sayasone here on Monday.

The two leaders were here together with other Asean leaders to attend an Asean-U.S. summit meeting.

Jokowi told his Laotian counterpart in the meeting that Indonesia supports Laotian chairmanship of the ten-country Asean.

"Congratulation. I am confident that under the chairmanship of Laos Asean  would be more successful," Jokowi said at the start of the bilateral meeting.

He said under Laotian chairmanship, Asean is entering a momentous era of single economic community.

Asean will face various issues of priority related  economic  and maritime cooperation, security in the South China Sea  and development of small business enterprises, Jokowi said.

Jokowi also raised issue of cooperation in coping with cross border crimes, and protection of migrant workers.

He underlined  the importance of Asean centrality  and unity amid the highly fluent global condition marked with sharp rivalry.

He hoped that bilateral relations between Laos and Indonesia could be expanded  and promoted  especially in trade, investment and tourism.

He said the two countries  could increase exchanges of visits by tourists, and invited Laotian students to proceed studies at Indonesian universities.

The Indonesian president welcomed  interest shown by Laos in purchasing Indonesian strategic industrial products such as light passenger aircraft.

Jokowi also offered Indonesian participation in development of infrastructure in Laos.

Later that day, Jokowi also held a bilateral meeting with  Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who used the occasion to invite the Indonesian president to visit Vietnam .

At the talks, Jokowi was accompanied by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Trade Minister Thomas Lembang, chief of presidential staff Teten Masduki, and chairman of presidential communications team Ari Dwipayana.

The Vietnamese prime minister was accompanied by Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh, Minister of Trade Vu Huy Hoang, Deputy Minister of Public Security To Lam  and  Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Chi Vinh.

Jokowi said he also raised a number of issues  in talks with Nguyen Tan Dung including cooperation in trade and investment  and maritime border.(*)