Indosat told to acquire Pakistani telecom firm<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications
\nJoop Ave has told the state-owned international
\ntelecommunications company, PT Indosat, to talk with the visiting
\nPakistani delegation about buying a telecoms firm in Pakistan.<\/p>\n
Joop told reporters after receiving a delegation led by Asif
\nAli Zardari, the husband of Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir
\nBhutto, that Pakistan was offering its international
\ntelecommunications firms for sale.<\/p>\n
Bhutto arrived here yesterday for a three-day state visit to
\npromote bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and
\nagriculture. The Pakistani premier was accompanied by her
\nhusband, five ministers and 80 business leaders.<\/p>\n
\"One of the 21 members of the Pakistani delegation was a
\ntelecoms minister who said that there are four international
\ntelecommunications gateways in his country that are available for
\nsale. I'm interested,\" Joop said.<\/p>\n
Soon after the delegation left his office, Minister Joop
\nordered one of his staff to contact Indosat's president, Tjahjono
\nSoerjodibroto, to suggest a meeting about the offer today.<\/p>\n
No further details were available.<\/p>\n
Indosat, which was floated on the New York and Jakarta stock
\nexchanges in October 1994, is currently exploring new overseas
\nbusinesses. Indosat has acquired a number of shares in Astel, a
\ncellular telephone operator in Japan. Through its subsidiary PT
\nSisindosat, Indosat has also bought equity in Global Link Inc.,
\nan American firm offering assorted telecoms services.<\/p>\n
Joop said yesterday that last year Indosat started work on
\ntelephone networks in Cambodia after winning a $15 million
\ncontract to refurbish the country's telephone system.<\/p>\n
Indosat earned net profits of Rp 459.4 billion in 1995, 59
\npercent higher than in 1994. Most of it came from international
\ntelephone traffic.<\/p>\n
The company has allocated about Rp 560 billion to establish
\ninternational telecommunication facilities and participate in
\ndomestic telephone networks and other businesses to support its
\ncore business.<\/p>\n
Joop also said yesterday that he had spent about 80 percent of
\nhis one-hour meeting with Zardari discussing cooperation
\npossibilities in the tourism industry.<\/p>\n
\"I declined a request from the delegation to free Pakistanis
\nvisiting Indonesia from visas. I said only a few Pakistanis visit
\nIndonesia each year,\" Joop said.<\/p>\n
He said the delegation also invited Indonesian investors to
\nparticipate in the development of Pakistan's tourism industry.
\n(icn)<\/p>",
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