REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The governments of Indonesia and Russia are keen to step up partnership cooperation from a comprehensive to a strategic partnership, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said.

"We want to enhance Indonesia-Russia bilateral cooperation to renew the comprehensive partnership into strategic partnership," Marsudi said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The statement was made by the foreign minister after holding a bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov at "Gedung Pancasila" building, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.

According to Marsudi, the Indonesia-Russia partnership had started since 2003 and after 14 years, the governments of both countries have felt the need to improve it.

"Indonesia-Russia comprehensive partnership in 2013 was the first one we had with other countries, and so, it is like the first generation. Since, it is 14 years now, we feel there is a need to renew it and make it a strategic partnership," she explained.

Marsudi mentioned that the Indonesian and Russian governments are organizing a team to prepare a draft for strategic cooperation, and Indonesia will also continue to seek to increase its presence in Russia.

"We are now intensively promoting the economy through the Indonesia Festival in Moscow," she noted.

The Indonesian foreign minister added that the Indonesian government was also continuing to increase its trade ties with Russia. Russia is one of the untapped market potentials in Europe.

The value of bilateral trade between Indonesia and Russia in January to April 2017 reached US$788.93 million, and the value shows an increase of 50.77 percent of the bilateral trade for the same period in 2016.

In addition to increasing engagement with Russia, the Indonesian government is also willing to enter into free trade agreements with the Eurasian Economic Union.

"In addition to Russia itself, we are starting a process with Eurasian Economic Union, a market worth $180 million and $144 million in Russia," Marsudi revealed.

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