Indonesia and Australia agreed to establish closer cooperation relationship in the fields of science, innovation, research and technology, Indonesian national Antara News Agency reported in Jarkata Wednesday.

"Officials from Australia and Indonesia have sought to open the way for further scientific innovations in areas such as fighting infectious disease, combating climate change and advancing nuclear safety. The recent talks in Jakarta focused on advancing two-way scientific exchanges and cooperation," Antara quoted a press statement of Australian Embassy in Indonesia as saying.

A meeting held recently by the Joint Working Group in Science, Innovation, Research and Technology (JWG) provided an opportunity for officials from both countries to take stock of both the broad range of existing collaboration between Indonesian and Australian science and technology systems and recent developments in science and technology policies and activities in both countries, it said.

The JWG agreed, in particular, to enhance cooperation among researchers in both countries, initially in four areas: Human Health including infectious disease; Agriculture and Food; Environment including energy and climate change; Nuclear Science and Safety including material testing and evaluation.

Australia and Indonesia also agreed to support series of scientific workshops over the next two years. The workshops will be held in both countries, with the first on Infectious Diseases in Human Health to be held in Indonesia on 2008.

The JWG is supported by Australia's Department of Education, Science and Training and Indonesia's Ministry of Research and Technology.