1. At the invitation of H.E. Mr. Tran Duc Luong, President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, H.E. Dr. Susilo Banbang Yudhoyono, President of the Republic of Indonesia and his spouse made an official visit to the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam from May 29-30, 2005.

2. Accompanying President Susilo Banbang Yudhoyono were H.E. Dr. N, Hassan Wirajuda, Minister for Foreign Affairs; H.E. Mr. Banbang Sudibyo, Minister of National Education; H.E. Dr. Mari Elka Pangestu, Minister for Trade; H.E. Dr. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, State Minister for National Development Planning; H.E. Mr. Sudi Silalahi, Cabinet Secretary; H.E. Mrs. Artauli RMP Tobing, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, and a number of members of the parliament and other high ranking officials of Indonesia.

3. President Yudhoyono and the Delegation were accorded with a warm and cordial reception by the leaders and people of Viet Nam. The Vietnamese leaders extended a very warm welcome to President Yudhoyono on his first ever visit to Viet Nam as Head of State of the Republic of Indonesia and highlighted the significance of the visit to the enhancement and consolidation of the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, especially at a time when Viet Nam and Indonesia are preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of official relations. The Vietnamese leaders conveyed to President Yudhoyono and the Indonesian people the best wishes of the Government and people of Viet Nam. President Yudhoyono expressed his great pleasure at having the opportunity to visit the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam for the first time and conveyed the best regards of the Government and people of Indonesia to the Vietnamese leaders.

4. During his visit to Viet Nam, President Yudhoyono held talks with President Tran Duc Luong and was received by H.E. Mr. Nong Duc Manh, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, and met with H.E. Mr. Phan Van Khai, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, and H.E. Mr. Nguyen Van An, Chairman of the National Assembly. President Yudhoyono also paid tribute at the Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh.

5. The talks between President Tran Duc Luong and President Yudhoyono took place in an atmosphere of friendship, cordiality, mutual trust and understanding. Attending the talks from the Vietnamese side were H.E. Gen. Le Hong Anh, Minister of Public Security; H.E, Mr. Nguyen Dy Nien, Minister of Foreign Affairs; H.E. Mr. Hoang Trung Hai, Minister of Industry; H.E. Mr. Nguyen Van Chien, Head of the President's Office; H.E. Mrs. Tran Thi Trung Chien, Minister of Health; H.E. Mr. Nguyen Hoang An, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the Republic of Indonesia; H.E. Mr. Vu Dung, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs; H.E. Mr. Truong Van Doan, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment; H.E. Mr. Tran Duc Minh, Vice Minister of Trade; H.E. Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Assistant to the President and other high-ranking Vietnamese officials. From the Indonesian side, attending the talks were all officials accompanying President Yudhoyono.

6. President Tran Duc Luong expressed his congratulaltions to President Yudhoyono on the political and socio-economic achievements made by the Indonesian people under his leadership in the recent past, especially the quick recovery from the aftermath of the recent earthquake and tsunami. President Tran Duc Luong reaffirmed Viet Nam's support for the Government and people of Indonesia in their efforts to maintain political stability, national unity, territorial integrity and national development and Indonesia's role and position within the ASEAN and in other regional and international cooperation mechanisms.

7. President Yudhoyono expressed his sincere thanks to the State, Government and people of Viet Nam for their timely and practical assistance to the Indonesian people in the calamity stricken areas to help them overcome the consequences of the earthquake and tsunami. President Yudhoyono also congratulated the country for significant achievements made by the people of Viet Nam in their Doi Moi process, thus enhancing Viet Nam's reputation and role in the region and the world. President Yudhoyono wished Viet Nam greater successes in achieving the noble goal of building a prosperous people, a strong country and an equitable, democratic and civilised society, making positive contributions to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

8.The two Heads of State underlined the steady growth of friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Indonesia in the last five decades. They reaffirmed the increasing importance of the bilateral relationship and the determination to further develop relations between Viet Nam and Indonesia as enshrined in the 'Declaration between the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Republic of Indonesia on the Framework of Friendly and Comprehensive Partnership Entering the 21st Century' signed in June 2003. In this spirit, the two Heads of State agreed that the two sides would carry out various activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary (12/1955-12/2005) of the establishment of official relations (the opening of Consulates General in the capitals of their respective countries) as an important milestone in the history of the relationship between the two countries.

9. The two Heads of State agreed that it was necessary to actively implement the 'Declaration between the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Republic of Indonesia on the Framework of Friendly and Comprehensive Partnership Entering the 21st Century' and assigned the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs to coordinate with other functional agencies of the two countries to work out a plan of action for an effective implementation of the declaration. The two leaders further agreed that the two sides should increase exchanges and high-level contacts with a view to further cementing existing political ties and creating a new momentum for bilateral cooperation.

10. The two Heads of State acknowledged that the demand for and potential of cooperation between the two countries remained vast, especially in the economic, trade, and investment areas. Although the volume of trade between Indonesia and Viet Nam has steadily increased over the past few years, the two countries need to continue promoting a more attractive and favourable environment for trade and investment cooperation as well as the opening up of mutually beneficial new areas of economic cooperation. In this regard, to further strengthen the basis for a sustainable and mutually beneficial trade and economic relationship over the long-term, the two sides agreed to promote the efficiency of the existing cooperation mechanism including the Viet Nam-Indonesia Joint Commission. At the same time, they highlighted the role played by people-to-people and business-to-business contacts in furthering the links between the two countries and enhancing each other's national economic development.

11. The two Heads of State also agreed to promote cooperation in agriculture and forestry, mining, fisheries, tourism, education and training, science and technology. In this connection, the two Heads of State welcomed the signing by the two countries of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Education.

12. The two Heads of State noted the significance of and growing cooperation between the two countries in the field of security and defence. The two sides said they expand the sharing of information and experience as well as cooperate in combating transnational crimes and international terrorism. The two Heads of State highly expressed their appreciation of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Preventing and Combating Crimes by the two countries during this visit.

13. The two Heads of State also discussed a broad range of regional and international issues of mutual concern. President Tran Duc Luong warmly congratulated President Yudhoyono on the successful organising of the Asian-African Summit and the Commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of the 1955 Asian-African Conference, laying the foundation for a new stage of comprehensive cooperation between the two continents of Asia and Africa, thus enhancing Indonesia's role in the region and the world.

14. The two leaders reaffirmed their unanimity on the necessity of promoting bilateral cooperation as well as between the two countries and other ASEAN members within the ASEAN framework in consolidating and reinforcing ASEAN's strength and solidarity in the political, economic and socio-cultural fields with a view to addressing the challenges in the new millennium and elevating the role of the ASEAN in the region and the world. Both leaders discussed the issue of UN reform and agreed that the UN needed to become a more democratic, fair and equitable body for the benefit of all countries. The two Heads of State also said they appreciated the close cooperation and coordination between the two countries at regional and international fora including the United Nations, APEC, ASEM, and NAM.

15. President Tran Duc Luong expressed his sincere thanks for Indonesia's reaffirmation of its continued support for Viet Nam's early accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), its readiness to cooperate with Viet Nam for a successful hosting of the APEC Summit in Ha Noi in 2006 and its support for Viet Nam's candidature to a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for the 2008-2009 tenure. President Yudhoyono expressed his sincere appreciation for Viet Nam's continued support for the Indonesian candidature as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2007-2008 tenure.

16. The two side agreed that the outcomes of the visit to Viet Nam by President Yudhoyono would facilitate the furtherance of the traditional friendship and mutually beneficial and multifaceted cooperation between Viet Nam and Indonesia in the interests of the two peoples and for the sake of the peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

17. President Yudhoyono sincerely thanked President Tran Duc Luong, the Government and people of Viet Nam for the warm and heartfelt welcome and the sincere feelings which demonstrated the traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and mutual trust between Viet Nam and Indonesia. President Yudhoyono extended an invitation to President Tran Duc Luong for a visit to Indonesia at a convenient time. President Tran Duc Luong accepted the invitation with pleasure./.