REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Indonesia and Singapore are to evaluate developments in their bilateral ties when leaders of the two neighboring countries convene an annual meeting at the Bogor Palace, West Java, on March 13. The two nations would evaluate developments in their bilateral relations since the last meeting was held in 2010, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marty Natalegawa, said on Friday.

"Since the last meeting the two heads of state have been determined to enhance bilateral relations in a substantial way. So in the first section (of the Bogor meeting) there will be a kind of review of developments in the cooperation between the two countries since 2010," he said.

In addition, the leaders of the two countries would also discuss the prospects of cooperation between the two countries in the economic, trade and investment fields, he said. Both sides would also discuss progress in border talks and legal cooperation besides regional and global issues, he added.

Natalegawa said he could not ascertain whether President Susilo Yudhoyono (SBY) and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong would discuss the extradition treaty signed by the two countries in 2007. "I do not know. But we talk about Indonesia-Singapore relations, cooperation in the legal field, both mutual assistance. And extradition treaty has often been discussed because it serves as common interests of the two countries," he said.

Earlier, Marty met with his Singaporean counterpart K Shanmugam to make preparations for the routine meeting between the leaders of the two countries. At the meeting, the two foreign ministers evaluated progress achieved in the realization of six areas of cooperation, including investment, agribusiness, air transportation, tourism and development of Batam, Bintan and Karimun special economic zone. The two foreign ministers also agreed to intensify border talks particularly with regard to the eastern segment of Singapore Strait.

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