British loan extension accord signed

JAKARTA (JP): Great Britain signed an agreement here yesterday for the extension of a soft loan of 80 million pounds (US$117.6 million) for Indonesian development projects, including modern transportation systems, educational equipment and environmental facilities.

Under the agreement penned by foreign minister Ali Alatas and the British Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Alastair Goodlad, Indonesia will utilize the aid to finance a double-track railway project linking Cikampek and Cirebon in West Java and establish an Industrial Pollution Prevention Technology Center in Jakarta.

Alatas said the planned pollution prevention center, which is scheduled to operate within the next five years, will develop Indonesia's technological capability to ward off industrial pollution and will provide industries with technical services on environmental pollution control.

Beside the Cirebon-Cikampek route, Indonesia is now doubling the railway tracks between Depok and Bogor, and Cikampek and Purwakarta, also in West Java.

The other projects to be financed with the British aid include a traffic controller system in Medan, North Sumatra, procurement of generators for diesel locomotives in Yogyakarta, the improvement of railway tracks in the greater Jakarta area, the development of marine navigational facilities, solid wastewater treatment facilities in Jakarta and a research laboratory for piston engine thermodynamics in Serpong, West Java.

Alatas said the British aid carries interest of 3.34 percent and will mature in 25 years. (icn)