REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SEMARANG -- Indonesia and Timor Leste have agreed to accelerate the process of resolving their border problems, marked by the visit of Indonesian president Joko Widodo to that country on Tuesday.

President Joko Widodo's communication team member Ari Dwipayana said in an official statement received here on Tuesday President Joko Widodo visited the office of Timor Leste's prime minister Rui Maria de Araujo after lunch at the presidential palace with Timor Leste's president Taur Matan Ruak.

President Joko Widodo and premier Rui Maria de Araujo held had a t?te-?-t?te, flanked by their respective foreign ministers, followed by a bilateral meeting between the two countries' governments.

In the meeting with Timor Leste's prime minister Rui Maria de Araujo, border problems were the focus of the talks.

The two heads of state hailed the ongoing intense consultations on both land and maritime borders between the two countries.

In the meeting with Timor Leste prime minister, President Joko Widodo expressed Indonesia's readiness to become the principal partner of Timor Leste in development efforts.

"I believe Timor Leste also has the same commitment as Indonesia," he said.

After his tete-a-tete, a bilateral meeting was held between the two countries' delegations led by Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo at the latter's office.

At the meeting, the two heads of state were flanked by their respective accompanying ministers.

At the bilateral meeting, focus was on two areas, namely economic cooperation and people-to-people contact.

With regard to trade and investment, President Joko Widodo said Indonesia was ready to become Timor Leste's partner in infrastructure development in Timor Leste.

Between 2011 and 2015, a number of roads, bridges, airport and government buildings, worth up to US$ 344 million, have been built by Indonesian state-owned companies and private parties.

This year, President Joko Widodo said, projects worth Rp7 trillion are to be carried out.

President Joko Widodo also expressed Indonesia's commitment as the main partner to supply medicines and health service equipment.

"I will encourage the development of a distribution center in Atambua to extend special service to Timor Leste," he said.

In the field of energy, he hailed the result of the meeting between the countries' ministers of energy in Bali on January 16.

The outcome of that meeting is expected to boost realization of various agreements including cooperation in downstream business between Indonesia's state-owned energy company PT Pertamina and Timor GAP EP and cooperation in upstream business of oil and gas and renewable energy sources as well as electricity interconnection and others.

President Joko Widodo also hailed cooperation in the liquefied natural gas exploitation between Timor GAP EP and LNG Badak.

"Indonesia is ready to help Timor Leste build an LNG refinery," he added.

Regarding people-to-people contact, he said he had noted an increase in air connectivity between the two peoples, marked by more flights from Indonesia to Timor Leste.

Indonesia, he said, is also ready to help increase the number of pilots and crew members and develop Timor Leste's national airline.

President Joko Widodo expressed appreciation for the support of Timor Leste's government to develop the Indonesian Cultural Center in Dili, the capital of Timor Leste.

Regarding the Commission of Truth and Friendship, he said he hailed the progress made to implement its 2008 recommendations.

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