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.