Jakarta, July 31 -- Indonesia and Australia agreed to strengthen forestry cooperation, focusing on timber legality and sustainable forest-product trade while protecting forest ecosystems, the Indonesian Forestry Ministry said Friday.

Delegations from both countries discussed the cooperation on the sidelines of the 30th APEC Experts Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade meeting in Shenzhen, China, earlier this week.

"Indonesia and Australia share interests in ensuring forest-product trade is legal and sustainable while delivering benefits to both countries," said Krisdianto, a Forestry Ministry director.

Stronger bilateral cooperation would help the countries improve forest governance and build mutual trust in forest products mo...