US President George W. Bush (L) met with his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the White House on Wednesday. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

US President George W. Bush and his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono meet the press at the White House, May 25. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

    WASHINGTON, May 25 (Xinhuanet) -- US President George W. Bush met with his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the White House on Wednesday, expecting the two countries' militaries would resume full ties to stand side-by-side in the war on terror.

    "Indonesia and America may be on the opposite sides of the ocean, but we have a lot in common,'' Bush told reporters after talks with Susilo.

    Bush defended his administration's decision to restore the military education training program for Indonesia.

    "It makes sense that we have military-to-military exchanges, we want young officers to come to the United States. We want exchanges between our military corps, that will help lead to better understandings," Bush said.

    Bush praised Susilo's leadership of his country in the aftermath of the devastating Dec. 26 earthquake-triggered waves that killed at last 126,000 people in Indonesia, as well as 48,000in 10 other countries in the Indian Ocean basin.

    Susilo said he discussed with Bush the normalization of military-to-military ties, adding "we have to do more along with the reforms of the military that were conducted in Indonesia.

    "I do hope that in the future, we (will move) ahead for full normalization of the military-to-military relations," said Susilo on his first White House visit since becoming the first directly elected leader of the world's largest Muslim-populated nation lastyear.

    The United States is seeking to resume full ties with Indonesia's military, banned since 1999 after Indonesian troops devastated the province of East Timor following a UN-organized independence referendum.

    Washington decided in February to resume training members of the Indonesian armed forces a month after easing an embargo on the supply of some aircraft spareparts to boost tsunami relief efforts. Enditem