Arms sales talks to top agenda of Iliescu's visit to Indonesia

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Romanian President Ion Iliescu will begin a five-day state visit to Indonesia on Sunday, with talks on arms sales set to top his agenda.

Iliescu is slated to hold talks with Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Monday at the Merdeka Palace.

"The two Presidents are also due to witness the signing of a number of memorandums of understanding (MOU)," the presidential office statement issued on Friday said.

An official at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said MOUs on collaboration in the field of small and medium businesses, and on exchange training for diplomatics were ready for signing during Iliescu's visit.

"However, there may be more MOUs signed, such as on collaboration in the science and technology fields, which would include the weapons industry," the official told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Iliescu is repaying Megawati's visit to the Eastern European country last year to seek other sources of arms after Indonesia's traditional source, the United States, imposed an embargo in 1999.

During her visit, Megawati had the chance to take a closer look at weapons manufacturers in Romania, which are principally known as small arms and armored vehicle manufacturers.

Romania produces the M-77, TAB-72 and TAB-77 tanks, all modified versions of tanks made by the former Soviet Union.

Romania has 12 weapons industries which produce various types of military equipment, such as small arms, artillery and ammunition.

Also during Iliescu's visit here, Romania will look into the possibility of participating in the 100 megawatt power plant project in Asam-asam in South Kalimantan.

Megawati has been very busy receiving state guests of late, with President Iliescu the fourth head of state to visit Indonesia this year so far.

Libyan President Moammar Khadafy and Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski are the next on the guest list.

Besides meeting Megawati, President Iliescu is slated to receive a courtesy visit from Vice President Hamzah Haz and hold a meeting with House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung.

A meeting with the Romanian community in Jakarta is also included in Iliescu's schedule.

Apart from Jakarta, the Romanian President will also visit Yogyakarta and the resort island of Bali before leaving the country on Thursday.