At the reception, PM Dung said that the time-honoured friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia are progressing well and benefiting development in both countries.

As a traditional friend of Indonesia, Vietnam congratulates Indonesia on its achievements during the process of national construction and development which has elevated its status in the region as well as the international arena.

Vietnam and Indonesia should fully tap their great potential for cooperation and development and effectively implement the agreements reached by their leaders, aiming to raise two-way trade turnover to US$10 billion by 2015, said PM Dung.

He also said the two sides need to promote bilateral cooperation in agriculture, fishery, culture and education, and he hopes ambassador Mayerfas will contribute to bringing Vietnam-Indonesia cooperation to a higher level.

The Vietnamese Government shall create the best possible conditions for the Indonesian ambassador to fulfill the tasks assigned to him during his term in Vietnam.

Ambassador Mayerfas said he will do his best to further develop the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Indonesia and build a comprehensive cooperation programme. He also said he wishes to promote the exchange of high-level visits and share positive experiences in developing models for socio-economic development.