TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, during his visit to Indonesia on July 20-23, 2018, is scheduled to meet with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

According to a press statement from the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta on Saturday, Abdullah`s visit to Indonesia is his first since he was inaugurated as Malaysian foreign minister on July 2, 2018, under the government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Abdullah is scheduled to meet with President Jokowi on Monday and then with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi on the same day to discuss bilateral issues, a new strategic cooperation.

At the meeting with Marsudi, the foreign ministers of both nations will discuss various issues of interest, including diplomatic steps to be taken by Indonesia and Malaysia in dealing with the discrimination against palm oil products in the region of European Union.

"Indonesia and Malaysia are the two most interested countries that do not want the export of palm oil to Europe to face discrimination," Director of Southeast Asian Cooperation of the Foreign Ministry Denny Abdi noted in a press briefing in Jakarta on Wednesday.

In addition, the two foreign ministers will discuss efforts to negotiate the Indonesia-Malaysia border region.

In relation to the proposal for joint development of border areas, Abdi noted that the Indonesian government believes that both countries should address overlapping claims in border areas through negotiations.

However, the governments of both countries also did not rule out the possibility of cooperation in management and development along the border region.

The Malaysian foreign minister`s visit is a follow up of Prime Minister Mahathir`s visit to Indonesia on June 28-29, 2018.

The visit is expected to strengthen the existing strong bond of friendship between Malaysia and Indonesia for the prosperity of the people of both countries.

ANTARA