Norway interested in Natuna<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland
\ntold President Soeharto yesterday that her country is interested
\nin taking part in the US$40 billion natural gas extraction
\nproject in the Natuna islands near Singapore.<\/p>\n
Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono said that through its prime
\nminister, Norway had expressed a desire to participate in the
\nhuge project.<\/p>\n
\"Both leaders agreed that further studies are needed to
\ninvestigate the options for Norway's involvement in the project,\"
\nMoerdiono said.<\/p>\n
While President Soeharto and Prime Minister Brundtland were
\nholding talks, Indonesian and Norwegian ministers and officials
\nheld a parallel meeting to exchange views and discuss ways of
\nexpanding bilateral economic ties.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia and Norway are in agreement about the need to
\nexpand their economic and trade cooperation,\" Moerdiono said,
\nadding that Norway could provide expertise and technology in the
\npetroleum, electricity, ship-building and timber industries.<\/p>\n
The Norwegian prime minister and her husband Arne Olav
\nBrundtland, accompanied by several ministers and businessmen,
\narrived here on Sunday for a two-day official visit after
\nspending the weekend in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Later yesterday, Brundtland told a luncheon with Indonesian
\nbusinessmen that Norwegian businesses were increasing their
\npresence here and in Asia as a whole and that \"her government
\nwholeheartedly supports and encourages this trend.\"<\/p>\n
\"The business sectors included in our Asia strategy are oil
\nand gas, environmental technology, shipping, hydropower and
\ninformation technology,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She added that Norwegian companies, such as Kvaerner and Aker,
\ncould be valuable suppliers of platforms and other equipment for
\nthe Natuna gas project.<\/p>\n
\"Most of the world's biggest offshore platforms have been
\nbuilt by Norwegian companies,\" Brundtland added.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's state-owned oil company Pertamina and Exxon Corp.
\nof the United States signed an agreement last November to carry
\nout the multi-billion dollar project in the Natuna gas fields.<\/p>\n
Council<\/p>\n
The business luncheon, hosted by the Indonesian Chamber of
\nCommerce and Industry, also inaugurated the Norwegian-Indonesian
\nBusiness Council, which will serve as a forum for further
\nexpanding business ties between the two countries.<\/p>\n
\"We hope to further promote strategic alliances between
\nIndonesian and Norwegian businesses,\" said the chamber's Vice
\nPresident Iman Taufik in welcoming the establishment of the
\nbusiness forum yesterday.<\/p>\n
Brundtland's schedule yesterday included meetings with State
\nMinister for Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita and
\nState Minister for Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, as well
\nas a state banquet hosted in her honor by the President and Mrs.
\nTien Soeharto at the State Palace.<\/p>\n
She witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on
\nenergy cooperation by Norwegian Minister of Energy and Industry
\nJens Stoltenberg and Indonesian Acting Minister of Mines and
\nEnergy Moerdiono.<\/p>\n
Brundtland was also present at the signing ceremony for a
\njoint-venture agreement between Kvaerner Engineering of Norway
\nand PT Bakrie & Brothers of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The joint-venture company, PT Bakrie Kvaerner Engineering,
\nwill operate in project management and engineering, notably in
\nthe oil and natural gas industry.<\/p>\n
Today, the Norwegian prime minister is scheduled today to meet
\nwith State Minister for Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, to
\nattend a seminar on Norwegian environmental management and
\ntechnology and to visit the Indonesia-in-Miniature park in East
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Brundtland and her entourage will leave Indonesia tomorrow
\nmorning for Singapore.(vin)<\/p>\n
Party -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/norway-interested-in-natuna-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }