Indonesia provides BMWs for ASEM delegates

Indonesia provides BMWs for ASEM delegates

All ministers participating in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in
Denpasar, Bali, will be able to enjoy the comfort of traveling in
new-model BMWs.

PT BMW Indonesia will lend 30 new BMW 5-series cars to the
Indonesian government, which will host the forum next week on the
resort island.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda will on Monday
officially receive the keys of the luxury cars.

Of the BMW armada, 15 are 530i models, with the remainder
520is, PT BMW Indonesia said in a media statement on Friday.

Although it was not immediately clear whether the government
had paid a "loan fee" for use of the cars, which are worth more
than Rp 500 million (US$61,000) each, the foreign ministry
official stressed that it had not bought the cars.

"They are being provided by BMW Indonesia, who have even
trained the drivers," the official told The Jakarta Post on
Friday.

The ASEM meeting will run from July 22 through July 24 in
Bali, and will be attended by ministers from more than 10
countries in Asia and Europe. -- JP