YUDHOYONO, RUDD LEAD DELEGATIONS IN BILATERAL TALKS

Nusa Dua, Indonesia, Dec. 10 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd here Wednesday led delegations of their respective countries in a bilateral meeting.

The two delegations met before attending the opening of the Bali Democracy Forum participated in by delegates from over 30 Asian and Pacific countries.

They were expected to discuss issues affecting Indonesia-Australia relations as well as regional and international problems.

In the talks, the Indonesian delegation led by President Yudhoyono consisted of, among others, Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda, Coordinating Minster for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo AS, Minister/State Secretary Hatta Rajasa, Communication and Informatics Minister Muhammad Nuh, and presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal.

Meanwhile, members of the Australian delegation headed by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, included Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer, the Australian Parliament's chief of international development affairs, an economic adviser to the prime minister, a foreign affairs adviser to the prime minister, and the prime minister's office chief of staff.

Yudhoyono and Rudd have held several meetings since Rudd succeeded John Howard as Australian prime minster in 2007.

The first meeting between the two leaders took place on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Bali in December 2007.

In mid-2008, Rudd made an official visit to Jakarta to boost bilateral cooperation between the two nations.