RI-Myanmar joint commission to hold first meeting in Bali

18 March 2006 (Antara) - Indonesia and Myanmar have agreed to hold the first meeting of their Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation in Bali , an Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

"The two countries have agreed to hold the commission's first meeting in Bali , but the time has yet to be decided. We hope it will be at the end of April, not long after an ASEAN informal ministerial meeting that will take place on April 17-21," Desra Percaya said on Friday.

The commission is the realization of Indonesia 's efforts to help Myanmar implement democratic principles successfully, he said.

"As we all know, Myanmar has withdrawn from the international world so that it became difficult for people to come to Myanmar as once experienced by a United Nations envoy. And Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's visit to Myanmar has become important to many parties as it marked the first time for Myanmar to receive a top-level foreign official," Desar said.

President Yudhoyono visited Myanmar on March 1 and 2, during which a memorandum of understanding on formation of the joint commission was signed by the foreign minister of the two countries.