President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday opened the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, by highlighting Apec’s integral role in the current global economic environment.
In his opening remarks, Yudhoyono highlighted the importance of APEC’s role in the future amid further economic turbulence.
Citing International Monetary Fund (IMF) data, the president said economic growth in the Apec region was estimated to reach 6.3 percent in 2013, and in 2014, it was predicted to reach 6.6 percent.
On the sidelines of the summit, Yudhoyono held a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
Yudhoyono warmly welcomed Putin, saying Indonesia and Russia’s relations had continued to develop. “And our meeting now can make our partnership become closer,” he said.
Putin said the prospects for relations between the two countries were still very open.