Putin in Indonesia to strengthen economic ties

He will meet Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as delegations from the two countries meet for bilateral talks.

"The president (Yudhoyono) will talk about bilateral matters, especially how to step up economic cooperation in trade and investment," Yudhoyono's spokesman Dino Patti Djalal was quoted by AFP as saying.

He said that during Putin's visit, which follows Yudhoyono's visit to Moscow in December, the two leaders were also to discuss cooperation in the defence sector.