Habibie seeks Manila's aid

Habibie seeks Manila's aid

MANILA (Reuters): Indonesia's top technology minister has urged the Philippines to support an Indonesian aircraft project that recently lost government funding under IMF-sponsored reforms, the Philippine presidential palace said yesterday.

"The Philippines, Indonesia and the rest of ASEAN will facilitate the region's economic recovery if we will patronize our own. It is for our self-interest for the future," a statement from the palace quoted Indonesian State Minister for Research and Technology B.J. Habibie as saying.

Habibie met Philippine President Fidel Ramos in Manila, but refused to talk to reporters after his 30-minute closed-door courtesy call.

The Philippines would send a technical team and a group of private businessmen to Indonesia to follow up on Habibie's proposal, it quoted Ramos as saying.

Habibie is closely linked to state aircraft maker, Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN), that was cut off from government funding under the recent International Monetary Fund- initiated fiscal reforms aimed at reviving Indonesia's ailing economy.