Kuwait may invest in bridges and oil fields<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah
\nAl-Salem Al-Sabah left Jakarta for Bali yesterday, after
\npromising officials here that his country would invest in
\ninfrastructure development in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Al-Sabah is scheduled to meet with Balinese government and
\nmilitary officials, including governor Ida Bagus Oka, before
\nleaving for Kuwait later today.<\/p>\n
At Merdeka Palace President Soeharto bid farewell to the crown
\nprince, who said his country was interested in investing in
\ninfrastructure projects, such as bridges and oil fields.<\/p>\n
Al-Sabah also said he wanted to explore the possibility of
\nfinancing Indonesian industrial projects, including the
\ngovernment's high-cost Nusantara Aircraft Industry (IPTN) in
\nBandung.<\/p>\n
While visiting IPTN's plant on Tuesday, he said Kuwait was
\nconsidering buying the firms' CN-235 aircraft for domestic use.<\/p>\n
He said his country was also interested in investing in IPTN.
\n\"We will discuss the details with (Indonesian) State Minister for
\nResearch and Technology B.J. Habibie,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Al-Sabah said that he was \"very interested\" in the IPTN-made
\naircraft because they seemed suitable for Kuwaiti domestic
\nflights.<\/p>\n
Al-Sabah declined to say how many aircraft his country wanted
\nto buy or when the purchase might be made.<\/p>\n
In Bandung the prime minister and his entourage observed the
\nconstruction of CN-235 aircraft and Puma and Bolco helicopters.
\nHe also examined the prototype of N-250 commuter aircraft, which
\nis to be assembled in the United States from 1997.<\/p>\n
IPTN President Habibie told his Kuwaiti guests that the
\nindustry was Indonesia's pride because its products were among
\nthe world's finest.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia, in a relatively short time, has succeeded in
\nestablishing an aircraft industry, and is trying to catch up with
\nindustrialized countries in producing modern aircraft,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said IPTN, which was established in 1976, had produced
\nalmost 200 Casa and CN-235 passenger planes and about 60
\nhelicopters. Almost 50 percent of those aircraft had been
\nexported to countries overseas, including the United Arab
\nEmirates, Malaysia and Spain, he said.<\/p>\n
\"In 1997, we will start building N-250 aircraft that can carry
\n68 passengers,\" Habibie said, adding that the new product had
\ngood prospects in the U.S., European, Australian and Asian
\nmarkets.<\/p>\n
He said that the manufacture of the aircraft had been handled
\nby Indonesian engineers and \"we import only aluminum as the raw
\nmaterial for the aircraft's body.\"<\/p>\n
Habibie said the company employed about 8,000 workers.
\n(rms\/pet\/pan)<\/p>",
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