BOGOR: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday (Feb 12) for talks aimed at strengthening economic and defense ties between the two Muslim-majority nations.
The two countries are holding their first High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council summit after agreeing to create the forum at a meeting in Bali in 2022.
Erdogan’s state visit to Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country and South-East Asia's largest economy, was his second stop in a four-day visit that also includes Malaysia and Pakistan.
"This meeting is the highest regular bilateral forum between the two countries where all matters of common interest will be discussed, including strategic issues and priorities,” said Indonesian foreign ministry spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat ahead of the visit.
A Turkish statement said the discussions will be focused on current regional and global issues, particularly the war in Gaza.
On Monday, the Turkish leader met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and reiterated his opposition to a US proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and said Israel should pay for the territory's reconstruction.
"We do not consider the proposal to exile the Palestinians from the lands they have lived in for thousands of years as something to be taken seriously,” Erdogan said.
Erdogan and his wife, First Lady Emine Erdogan, arrived in Jakarta late Tuesday and were welcomed by Subianto at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in a light rain. Erdogan rode with Subianto in a motorcade to his hotel.
Indonesia and Turkey have built an increasingly close relationship in recent years, and the two leaders previously met in Ankara last July when Subianto was still president-elect and defence minister. Subianto pledged to "elevate defense cooperation and other strategic fields for mutual benefit.”
The two countries signed a defence cooperation agreement in 2010, under which Indonesia’s state-run arms producer Pindad and Turkey’s FNSS jointly developed a new model of medium tank. In 2023, the two countries inked a plan of action for joint military exercises and defense industry cooperation.
In addition to Indonesia, Turkey has HLSCC cooperation forums with 21 other countries, including Pakistan.
Turkey and Indonesia plan to sign agreements on trade, investment, education and technology during Erdogan’s visit.
Erdogan will head on to Pakistan on Wednesday, where he and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will address the Pakistan-Turkey Business and Investment Forum and attend another HSLCC meeting. - AP
