Indonesia offers technical support to Bangladesh

Indonesia offers technical support to Bangladesh

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has offered to cooperate with
Bangladesh in technical support in the agricultural sector and
gas exploration, a minister said yesterday.

In bilateral talks yesterday morning, President Soeharto told
visiting Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that Indonesia
was ready to share its experience and technology in gas
exploration with Bangladesh.

"They have just discovered a big gas reserve, and we would be
very pleased to fulfill their request for education in gas
exploration management, especially in production-sharing contract
systems," Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said after the
meeting. Indonesia is one of the world's largest natural gas
producers.

The prime minister arrived here yesterday for a four-day state
visit to help speed up slow economic cooperation between the two
countries.

Indonesia's exports to Bangladesh reached US$117 million in
1996, while its imports were less than $10 million.

"We need about 600,000 tons of soybeans each year and hope
that Bangladesh could supply us with the commodity," Moerdiono
quoted Soeharto as telling Hasina.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Indonesia's
soybean production was about 1.5 million tons last year, mostly
used for tempeh, soy sauce and tofu.

The two heads of state agreed on the need for closer
cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC), Moerdiono remarked.

ASEAN comprises Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the
Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos. SAARC comprises
Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

During the meeting Hasina also asked for Soeharto's support
for its entry into the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional
Cooperation (IORARC).

"The President pledged that (Indonesia would) provide help to
Bangladesh to join the group," Moerdiono disclosed.

The group covers countries in Asia, Africa and Australia,
including Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Australia and
South Africa.

This morning Hasina and her entourage will visit state-owned
aircraft manufacturer PT IPTN in Bandung before leaving for Bali
in the afternoon.

After resting for two nights in Bali, she will leave for the
Philippines on Monday. (prb)