Australian leader’s visit affirms deeper ties to Indonesia
By NINIEK KARMINI
Associated Press
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday is looking to move beyond regional issues by promoting the importance of building stronger economic ties with neighboring Indonesia. Albanese hit on the importance of expanding their trade and investment relationship, highlighting the two countries’ ambition to better utilize the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. But he did not bring up the thorny issue in which his Indonesian counterpart President Joko Widodo last October expressed concern after Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced a trilateral security agreement, dubbed AUKUS, under which Australia would acquire nuclear-powered submarines.