CANBERRA, Australia, April 4 (UPI) -- Indonesia and Australia announced Monday a new era in relations covering defense and other issues, bringing the two rivals closer.
"I am convinced we can take this friendship between Indonesia and Australia far, very far, for we now live in geopolitical and geoeconomic environments that are different from the ones of the previous decades," said Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono after meeting with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
Ties between the traditional rivals became close following the Dec. 26 Asian tsunami, which devastated Indonesia. Australia was among nations taking the lead in recovery and relief efforts.
"Fundamentally the sense of goodwill and a shared future is very strong and I have found in my associations with President Yudhoyono a man of immense decency and immense vision for his own country," Howard said.
The two leaders signed a declaration on a comprehensive partnership and started bilateral discussions on a security treaty covering defense, intelligence and others issues.
