OBAMA OFFERS EDUCATION, CLIMATE CHANGE COOPERATION WITH RI

Toronto, Canada, June 28 (ANTARA) - US President Barack Obama has offered education and climate change cooperation with Indonesia as part of strategic cooperation between the two countries.

Obama made the offer at a bilateral meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the Metro Toronto Convention Center on Sunday morning.

"Together we will discuss climate change issue to help develop the study on that issue in Indonesia and to make it beneficial not only to Indonesia but also to the global region," Obama said.

In addition, Obama also offered education cooperation with Indonesia for its younger generation with a total budget of US$160 million.

"The meeting this morning is possible because the friendship between Indonesia and the United States is strong and that we want to make it even stronger," Obama said, expressing his gratitude to President Yudhoyono for that good cooperation.

Meanwhile, President Yudhoyono said Indonesia and US wanted to develop comprehensive cooperation to face the challenges in the 21st century.

"The challenges are among others global economic development and climate change issue," President Yudhoyono said, adding that dynamic relations between Indonesia and the United States had important contribution to the region and the international world as well.

The 30-minute meeting between the two state leaders took place at 8.20 am Sunday, or 7.20 pm Western Indonesian Standard Time (WIB) before the 4th G-20 Summit was officially opened at 9 am Canadian time.

Earlier on Saturday the Indonesian head of state met with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende at Toronto Westin Hotel.

During the meeting President Yudhoyono expressed Indonesia's desire to increase bilateral ties with the Netherlands.

The head of state also said that during his trip to Toronto, he and his entourage made a stop over in Amsterdam.

Yudhoyono said that he was happy with the developments taking place in the Netherlands.

In the meantime, the Dutch prime minister said he was happy with his meeting with Yudhoyono, and agreed to step up the relations between the two nations.

In the meeting with President Obama, President Yudhoyono was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Economy Hatta Radjasa, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, and presidential special staff for foreign affairs Dino Pati Djalal.