Australia's Howard meets with Indonesia president in Bali

Jul 27, 2007, 10:23 GMT

Bali, Indonesia - Australian Prime Minister John Howard visited the tourist island of Bali and held talks with Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Friday hoping to strengthen relations between the two neighbouring countries.

Howard also inaugurated an eye hospital funded and built by Australia as a permanent memorial to the victims of the October 2002 terrorist bombings that killed 202 people, 88 of them Australians.

'This is a gift from the Australian people to the future health and well-being of the people of Bali and Indonesia,' Howard said.

'The opening of this hospital is based on love and humanity, and has become the monument of the strength of Indonesia's relationship with Australia,' Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told a press conference.

Before the ceremony, the two leaders met for talks on a range of issues including security, trade and climate change.

The two countries in recent years have quarrelled over Australia's military assistance to East Timor after it broke away from Indonesia, human-rights issues, terrorism, Iraq, and the conviction of several young Australians on drug charges on Bali.