Saudi Arabia's King Salman (L) and Indonesian President Joko Widodo during their meeting at the Bogor Presidential Palace (Photo:Reuters)Jakarta (VNA) – Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulazizal-Saud, who is visiting Indonesia, held talks with Indonesian President JokoWidodo at Bogor Palace in Jakarta and witnessed the signing of a range ofcooperation deals on March 1.
At the meeting, President Widodo said that Saudi Arabia is one ofIndonesia’s most important partners in the Middle East.
He also expressed his hope that Indonesia will become a strategic partnerof Saudi Arabia through stronger economic links.
After the talks, both leaders oversaw the signing of 11 cooperation memoranda in areas ranging fromcommerce to crime fighting, including a pact between state energy companiesSaudi Aramco and Pertamina, building on an existing $6 billion plan to expandIndonesia’s biggest refinery.
During his visit to Indonesia from March1 – 9, King Salman will deliver a speech at parliament, visit Southeast Asia’sbiggest mosque, Istiglal, in Jakarta before a brief trip to Brunei and then an extendedbreak on the Indonesian island of Bali.
It is the first trip of a Saudi Arabian King to the world’s mostpopulous Muslim-majority country in almost half a century.
Before Indonesia, Saudi Arabia’s King visited Malaysia and will next visitJapan, China and the Maldives.-VNA
