Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday hosted his Indonesian counterpart, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, for talks focusing on trade ties and military cooperation. Putin praised economic cooperation between the two countries and said he would like to see bilateral trade rise to at least US$1 billion (¤750 million) annually. Currently it is just over half that. «Our relations are developing dynamically in the political and economic spheres. We continue joint work in the sphere of terrorism and military-technical cooperation,» Putin said. The Indonesian president thanked Russia for supporting his country's bid to become a member of the U.N. Security Council. «I hope that our relations will continue strengthening in the future,» he said. A Russian-Indonesian business forum is being held in Moscow in connection with Yudhoyono's visit, and cooperation agreements on nuclear energy, space, law enforcement and tourism were expected to be signed, the Associated Press reported.
