Canada offers expertise to RI

Canada offers expertise to RI

JAKARTA (JP): Canada is offering Indonesia its expertise and experience in the transportation business through technical assistance and the establishment of joint ventures.

Visiting Canadian Minister of Transportation Douglas Young said here yesterday that negotiations between business people from the two countries were coming to fruition.

"I don't feel comfortable giving information until the business communities sign themselves and prepare the release of details. There are many deals and huge investments yet to come," he told reporters.

Young arrived here on Monday for a five-day visit, leading a group of Canadian businessmen with interests in air navigation, rolling stock, locomotives, airport management, subway systems and light transit construction.

He said Canadian firms were also interested in participating in the huge mass transit system planned to be constructed under, on and above ground in Jakarta.

Opportunities

"I believe that the land transportation system (authority in Indonesia) will provide a great opportunity because Canadian companies like SNC Lavalin and Bombardier have been involved in subway and transit systems in Turkey, New York, Vancouver and Southern California," he said.

He said that Canada is also interested in improving business cooperation with Indonesia.

Canadian Minister for International Trade Roy MacLaren was here last week for the second time within 18 years and Prime Minister Jean Chretien, who came here last year, will be leading a business delegation, called Team Canada, in January 1996 to promote economic ties.

Meanwhile, the president of the Bakrie Group, Tanri Abeng, said here yesterday that the group would construct an oil pipeline network in Sumatra in cooperation with a Canadian company.(icn)