WHERE IT STANDS: Still talking.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Australia’s newly reelected Prime Ministermet with Indonesian President

on Thursday in a visit aiming to strengthen his country’s economic and defense ties with its closest major neighbor.Albanese arrived in the capital, Jakarta, on Wednesday evening, a day aftersecond three-year term following an emphatic

“I am here in Indonesia because no relationship is more important to Australia than this one,” Albanese said in a joint press statement with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto after a meeting,Albanese did not comment on media reports that Russia had told Indonesia it wants to base its long-range warplanes in Papua, the most eastern Indonesian province, a plan that was raised as a security issue during the Australian election campaign. Indonesia has told Australia that no such Russian base would be allowed.

“This is the fastest growing region of the world in human history and Indonesia is central to that growth,” Albanese said, adding that Indonesia is projected to be the fifth largest economy by the end of the next decade.

Subianto praised Australia’s support for Indonesia to become member of The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.Nothing was said about the

who raced to develop the country’s infrastructure for the World Cup tournament three years ago, or Qatar’s, which makes possible such elaborate central planning.

The Republican president’s admiration reflects an aesthetic and political vision at odds with American tradition. After declaring independence from the British monarchy, the Founding Fathers wanted to eschew anything that suggested royalty. Even as the United States emerged as the global superpower, the country and its leaders emphasized a facade of humility.But that’s never been Trump’s style. The billionaire’s New York City penthouse is embellished with gold and marble, and parts of his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida are modeled after France’s Palace of Versailles.