Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Indonesia's reformist president, is expected to consolidate a marked improvement in relations with the US when he meets President George W. Bush in Washington today.

As an indication of increasingly warm ties, officials say the two countries will resume their bilateral energy dialogue, suspended eight years ago when the Asian financial crisis devastated the Indonesian economy. Representatives of the two governments and the oil and gas industry are scheduled to discuss Indonesia's still uncertain legal safeguards, tax reforms and production-sharing arrangements.