Indonesian President Urges Closer Ties With NigeriaVisiting Indonesian President Abdulrrahman Wahid has said his country and Nigeria should further boost bilateral ties so as to push their respective economies forward, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.During a state banquet in the capital of Abuja, hosted by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday to mark Wahid's two-day official visit to Nigeria, the Indonesian president said openness, mutual understanding and bilateral trade are the cornerstones of cooperation for the two sides. He stressed that both countries should enhance cooperation to solve the current common problems of development. On the debt problem, he commended Obasanjo for his leadership in the G-77 to put pressure on the developed countries to forgive the debts of poorer and less industrialized nations. Meanwhile, Obasanjo said Wahid's visit provides an opportunity for both countries to improve bilateral relationship. Earlier on Tuesday, Wahid and Obasanjo signed agreements aimed at boosting annual trade between the two countries, which now stands at 390 million U.S. dollars. Wahid, accompanied by a powerful 100-member delegation, including the ministers of foreign affairs, defense, industry and trade as well as energy and mineral resources, arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday after ending his tour to Egypt. The president will leave for Sudan on Thursday. |
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