Vietnam and Indonesia have issued a joint statement during President
Truong Tan Sang’s official visit to Indonesia on June 27-28, agreeing to
elevate the long-standing bilateral relationship to a new height.
Following is the full text of the joint statement:
“At the invitation of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E.
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the President of the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam, H.E. Truong Tan Sang paid a State visit to the
Republic of Indonesia on June 27 – 28, 2013.
During the visit,
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Truong Tan Sang held
talks in a cordial and friendly atmosphere. The two leaders exchanged
views and highly valued the traditional relations of friendship and
comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia that have been
well maintained and developed with remarkable achievements, serving the
well-being of the two nations, especially since the establishment of
diplomatic relations in 1955.
The two leaders were committed to
elevating the long-standing bilateral relationship to a new height and
decided to establish the Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and
Indonesia built upon the basis of the Declaration between the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam and the Republic of Indonesia on the Framework of
Friendly and Comprehensive Partnership entering the 21 st century
(2003) and the Indonesia – Vietnam Plan of Action in the period of 2012 –
2015 (2011).
The Strategic Partnership shall also conform to
the principles of the UN and ASEAN Charters, the Treaty of Amity and
Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and other universally recognised norms of
international law.
In light of the Strategic Partnership,
the two leaders agreed to intensify the exchange of high-level visits
and to further enhance mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields.
Both leaders tasked the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs, in
collaboration with relevant Ministries, to formulate Plans of Action for
the Strategic Partnership that provides ways and means to ensure the
concrete and effective implementation of the Strategic Partnership. The
two leaders also stressed the importance for both countries to
periodically review the implementation of the Strategic Partnership
through bilateral cooperation mechanisms, namely the Joint Commission on
Bilateral Cooperation and the Joint Commission on Economics, Scientific
and Technical Cooperation.
On defense and security
cooperation, the two leaders supported further effective implementation
of the MOU on Promotion of Cooperation of Defence Officials and Related
Activities (2010), the Agreement on Cooperation of Criminal Combating
and Prevention (2005) and the Terms of Reference on Navy to Navy Talks
(2012), particularly in promoting capacity building and exchange
personnel. The two leaders also encouraged the enhancement of
cooperation in national defense industry and non-traditional security
fields.
On trade, the two leaders appreciated the steadily
growing two-way trade and were committed to pushing forward the
progressive, balanced and sustainable two-way trade cooperation. The two
leaders were optimistic that the target of 5 billion USD in trade
volume could be surpassed before 2015 and agreed to set a new target of
10 billion USD in trade volume by 2018.
The two leaders
shared a positive assessment on the growing investment cooperation and
were committed to continue promoting a more attractive and favourable
environment for greater investment and trade. The President of Indonesia
expressed his hope for the continued support and assistance of the
Vietnamese Government for the increasing economic presence of Indonesia
in Vietnam.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to
enhancing bilateral cooperation aiming at achieving sustainable food and
energy security through trade, investment and joint research and
development. On food security, the two leaders welcomed the extension of
the MoU on Rice Trade to 2017 and agreed to strengthen cooperation in
food production and quality control as well as stock management. On
energy security, the two leaders encouraged business community of the
two countries to actively explore energy and mineral resources
cooperation, including on developing eco-friendly mining industry, coal
and minerals trade, electricity generation as well as new and renewable
energy.
The two leaders observed the progress in the fisheries
and aquaculture cooperation and emphasized the need for both countries
to further implement the MoU on Marine and Fisheries Cooperation (2010)
to further tap the high potentials of cooperation in this area and to
address illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing, including on
the arrangement for returning fishermen caught or arrested due to (IUU)
fishing.
The two leaders directed the technical team to
expedite their discussion for the early conclusion on delimitation of
the exclusive economic zone and, without prejudice to the final
settlement of maritime boundary delimitation, encouraged both sides to
find a temporary solution to facilitate cooperation in marine and
fisheries affairs.
The two leaders were determined to
continue to strengthen people to people links by enhancing cooperation
in the fields of education, culture and tourism. In this regard, the two
leaders agreed to revitalize the MoU on Education Cooperation (2005),
promote closer cooperation in developing eco-tourism and MICE industry
as well as to strengthen cultural cooperation, including within the
framework of Trail of Civilization.
The two leaders agreed to
further intensify the work of ASEAN in realising an ASEAN community 2015
that is politically cohesive, economically integrated and socially
responsible to take advantage of current and future opportunity and
effectively respond to regional and international challenges.
President of Truong Tan Sang reiterated his commitment to provide
continuous active support during Indonesia’s Chairmanship of APEC in
2013. While President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono assured Indonesia’s full
support to Vietnam in the latter’s Chairmanship of APEC in 2017.
President Yudhoyono also invited President Truong Tan Sang for the
upcoming APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Bali in October 2013.
On the East Sea, the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of peace,
stability, maritime security in the region and reaffirmed the collective
commitments under the DOC to ensuring the peaceful resolution of
disputes in accordance with universally recognised principles of
international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea. The two leaders expressed their full support for the
ASEAN’s six-point Principles on the East Sea and welcomed the
commencement of the discussion on the COC between ASEAN and China and
looked forward to the continuation of discussions on the COC towards to
the early conclusion of a Regional Code of Conduct in the East Sea.
Upon conclusion of the bilateral meeting, the two leaders witnessed
the signing of the agreements, namely the Agreement on Extradition,
Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal, and the Memorandum of
Understanding on Agricultural Commodities Cooperation. On the sidelines
of the State visit, the Memorandum of Understanding on Energy and
Mineral Resources Cooperation, the Memorandum of Understanding on
Financial Cooperation, and the Memorandum of Cooperation between the
Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Vietnam and Indonesia were also
signed. The two leaders instructed the relevant Ministries of the two
countries to actively implement these documents.
President
Truong Tan Sang expressed their gratitude for the warm
hospitality extended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono accepted the kind
invitation by President Truong Tan Sang to visit Vietnam at a mutually
convenient time.”-VNA