The Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda and the Japanese Special Envoy Masakazu Toyoda met on Friday to find the best solutions to curb the global financial crisis and to strengthen bilateral cooperation, said a spokesperson in Jakarta on Friday.

"During the discussion, the two officials feel that the bilateral cooperation should be strengthened in trade through monitoring, evaluation activities," the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry's spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah told reporter.

According to Faizasyah, the two officials further discuss the regional trade cooperation such as ASEAN + 3 (Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus China, Japan and South Korea) in which Japan involved together with China and South Korea.

"The next ASEAN Summit which fall on Dec. 15, we will elaborate further on the financial crisis though we are still waiting for the confirmation whether the event will be proceeded in Jakarta- based ASEAN Secretariat or in Thailand," he said.

Faizasyah reiterated Japanese government's seriousness to maintain the stability of the regions in a context of economic cooperation. The country is looking forward to the meeting of finance ministers from the countries in the region.

"Japan sees the significance of the meeting which involve mostly the finance minister from the countries through the region, including the next phase of G-20 meeting in March 2009," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2008)