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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Today we had constructive talks and substantial negotiations with the President of Indonesia. We discussed the whole range of our bilateral relations as well as topical international problems.

As you saw, we have now signed a whole number of joint documents. We expect that the agreements we concluded will act as an important step in developing cooperation between our countries.

Recently, cooperation between Russia and Indonesia has undergone positive changes. In just eight months of 2006 our bilateral trade grew by almost 12 percent.

In the Mutual Statement we adopted, we emphasised the substantial growth of our mutual trade as well as the possibility of using our potential to receive more significant results. We have significant possibilities with respect to cooperation in the space sector, in nuclear energy, in the investment sector, and in military and technological cooperation. The documents signed today in these fields will provide a necessary stimulus to the whole range of our multifaceted cooperation.

Our countries’ entrepreneurs can also engage in a more active business partnership. The agreement between the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on cooperation in exchanging business information will undoubtedly help promote this partnership.

The tragic events in part of the Indian Ocean, events that we are all aware of, have once again shown the need for mutual support during natural disasters. As you know, Russia was one of the first countries to provide assistance to Indonesia. Today we agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation between our countries’ corresponding departments in this field.

We consider tourism to be a promising sphere of cooperation. In the period between January and September 2006, 13,000 Russian tourists visited the island of Bali. The system whereby Russian tourists can obtain Indonesian visas upon their arrival in Indonesia is starting to function.

These talks confirmed the affinity of our positions on key questions in the international global and regional agendas.

Our countries recognise the UN’s central role in ensuring global stability and security. I am convinced that electing Indonesia as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2007–2008 will help ensure the closer coordination of our foreign policies within this crucially important international organisation. And, first and foremost, coordination with respect to cooperation in the struggle against international terrorism, transnational crime, and in strengthening the regime for the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

During our talks we paid a great deal of attention to strengthening contacts in areas such as dialogue between religious faiths. For multiconfessional countries such as Russia and Indonesia, this is a crucially important exercise. And in this respect, cooperation with Indonesia – the largest Muslim country – holds a special value for us.

As a whole, we were able to once again affirm the affinity of our basic approaches, including the use of political and diplomatic means to find solutions to crises in various regions of the world.

We were once again convinced that relations between our states are being constructed on a firm basis and have good long-term prospects. And I would like to thank Mr President for the very open and constructive dialogue during today’s negotiations.

Thank you for your attention.

President of Indonesia Susilo Yudhoyono (translated from Russian): Dear President Putin!

Dear audience, dear journalists!

As respected Mr President just said, we had constructive fruitful talks which touched on a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues.

Russia is a very important and reliable partner for Indonesia. Russia plays a defining role in world policy. With regards to the majority of international issues, Russia and Indonesia have identical approaches. For that reason Indonesia very much expects that in the near future as well as in the long-term cooperation with Russia will develop and become stronger.

During my present visit to Russia, during the bilateral meeting and the meeting in an expanded structure that just ended, I became more confident that Russia remains our reliable partner and assistant.

As respected President Putin has already said, we discussed issues concerning both our bilateral cooperation and international issues. First of all I would like to emphasise that we expect to engage in long-term military and technological cooperation with Russia. Cooperation in the energy sector is the second field in which we expect to cooperate. The third consists in the investment and trade sectors. The fourth involves using space technology and nuclear energy with peaceful purposes. The fifth includes education and tourism. And our final field of cooperation is within the struggle against international terrorism and transnational crime.

With respect to the development of trade and economic cooperation and the investment sphere, I believe that we have a huge and as of yet underused potential in this sphere. I brought more than fifty Indonesian businessmen to Moscow with me and today a very substantial business forum took place. During this forum they could communicate with their Russian colleagues and discuss promising cooperation in a whole range of directions, including in investment, trade and others. It would be desirable that Russian businessmen also come to Indonesia and see with their own eyes the cooperation potential we possess.

We discussed a large number of issues on the international agenda, including problems relating to Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and North Korea. In many respects and on a number of points, Indonesia’s position fully coincides with Russia’s with respect to how possible it is to resolve these conflicts.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Russian party for the support that you provided as Indonesia was elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. I hope that during the next two years and in view of the fact that we are now a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council our cooperation will arrive at a new level, we will hold more consultations, and that cooperation in this field will develop.

In conclusion, on behalf of the people of Indonesia I would like to express my sincere thanks for the help and support you provided during the natural disasters that occurred in Indonesia. I am referring to the tsunami, the earthquake and many other disasters during which you provided assistance.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite respected President Putin to Indonesia. I consider that this visit would act as a new step towards strengthening close cooperation between our two countries.

Dear Mr President, allow me to finish my statement on this note.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.