by Mathias Hariyadi

This is the first high-level visit in almost 50 years. The Russian president, who is on his way to the APEC summit in Australia, is trying to play his cards in a region increasingly shaped by Sino-US rivalry. Deal involves the sale of weapons worth US$ 1 billion.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Indonesia to sign agreements on weapons, oil and aluminium. It is the first high profile visit by a Russian leader since Nikita Khrushchev’s came in 1960. Back in those days, Moscow was a key ally of the most populous Muslim state in the world.

Mr Putin, who is accompanied by a business delegation of about a hundred people, met Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss ways to improve economic ties and military co-operation in a region increasingly defined by Sino-US rivalry and competition.

Indonesia's armed forces are especially concerned. Under-equipped following years of sanctions from the European Union and the United States, they will be able to use a US$ 1 billion loan from Russia to plug holes in their ageing arsenal.

For Moscow closer ties with Jakarta will open up doors in the Islamic world.

“Russia,” Putin wrote in article published today, is “open to the joint search for ways of building inter-religious understanding, which is so essential today, including within the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, where our country has become an observer with Indonesian support.”

After his stop in Indonesia, the Russian leader will travel to Australia for the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit where he is scheduled to meet US President George W. Bush.

• indonesia
• russia
• australia
• united
• states
• vladimir
• putin
• susilo
• bambang
• yudhoyono
• weapons
• oild
• aluminium
• apec
• summit