Turnbull meets Indonesian counterpart in Laos

Speaking over tea and spring rolls in Vientiane, Malcolm Turnbull said his Indonesian counterpart was a "beacon" for how Islam and democracy are "compatible".

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull meets Indonesian President Joko Widodo for a bilateral morning meeting during his last day at the ASEAN

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Source: AAP

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has met with his Indonesian counterpart for his final breakfast in Laos, describing Australia's neighbour as a shining example of how democracy, moderation, tolerance and Islam are "thoroughly compatible".

Speaking over tea and spring rolls in Vientiane on Thursday morning, Mr Turnbull said he looked forward to welcoming President Joko Widodo to Australia later in the year.

"You are an absolute beacon in the way that you demonstrate again and again that democracy moderation, tolerance and Islam are thoroughly compatible," Mr Turnbull added.

He later met with the Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and will head to the East Asia Summit to meet with leaders from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan, South Korea, India, New Zealand, Russia and US on Thursday afternoon.

Counter terrorism and stability has topped the agenda throughout Mr Turnbull's visit to the Laos capital, with leaders stressing the importance of restraint amid ongoing tensions around the South China Sea and the need for greater cooperation on intelligence sharing to combat lone-wolf attacks.

He is expected to leave Vientiane on Thursday evening for the Pacific Islands Forum in Pohnpei - the largest island of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Here leaders of some of the smallest and most vulnerable countries will highlight the need for tackling climate change.


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world