On 12 July 2013, Mr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs met with Mr. R. M. Marty M. Natalegawa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, at Bua Kaew Hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The two discussed their countries’ excellent bilateral relations, including the 8th Joint Commission, which Thailand is expected to host in November 2013. Thailand thanked Indonesia for relaxing the import regulations on agricultural products to Indonesia, and highlighted the mutual benefits from cooperation on agriculture and strengthening of food security. Thailand also proposed a review of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on rice trade between Thailand and Indonesia for a longer duration, with details to be further discussed by the authorities on both sides. Both sides agreed that the MoU on fisheries cooperation needed to be concluded and signed at the first opportunity because the main contents of the MoU had already been agreed. Moreover, Thailand wished to invite President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia to participate as a keynote speaker at an upcoming conference, “Uniting for the future: Learning from each other’s experiences,” to promote democracy and reconciliation.

On regional relations, Indonesia thanked Thailand as Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China relations, noting that the issue of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea had made significant progress, and looked forward to Thailand hosting the AMM Retreat in Hua Hin. Thailand sought Indonesia’s views on the Colombian foreign minister’s suggestion that the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru) wished to engage more closely with ASEAN. With Indonesia’s positive response, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs proposed that the foreign ministers of the two groupings might meet during the UN General Assembly in New York, pending agreement from the other ASEAN member countries.