Kuwait may invest in bridges and oil fields

Kuwait may invest in bridges and oil fields

JAKARTA (JP): Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah
Al-Salem Al-Sabah left Jakarta for Bali yesterday, after
promising officials here that his country would invest in
infrastructure development in Indonesia.

Al-Sabah is scheduled to meet with Balinese government and
military officials, including governor Ida Bagus Oka, before
leaving for Kuwait later today.

At Merdeka Palace President Soeharto bid farewell to the crown
prince, who said his country was interested in investing in
infrastructure projects, such as bridges and oil fields.

Al-Sabah also said he wanted to explore the possibility of
financing Indonesian industrial projects, including the
government's high-cost Nusantara Aircraft Industry (IPTN) in
Bandung.

While visiting IPTN's plant on Tuesday, he said Kuwait was
considering buying the firms' CN-235 aircraft for domestic use.

He said his country was also interested in investing in IPTN.
"We will discuss the details with (Indonesian) State Minister for
Research and Technology B.J. Habibie," he said.

Al-Sabah said that he was "very interested" in the IPTN-made
aircraft because they seemed suitable for Kuwaiti domestic
flights.

Al-Sabah declined to say how many aircraft his country wanted
to buy or when the purchase might be made.

In Bandung the prime minister and his entourage observed the
construction of CN-235 aircraft and Puma and Bolco helicopters.
He also examined the prototype of N-250 commuter aircraft, which
is to be assembled in the United States from 1997.

IPTN President Habibie told his Kuwaiti guests that the
industry was Indonesia's pride because its products were among
the world's finest.

"Indonesia, in a relatively short time, has succeeded in
establishing an aircraft industry, and is trying to catch up with
industrialized countries in producing modern aircraft," he said.

He said IPTN, which was established in 1976, had produced
almost 200 Casa and CN-235 passenger planes and about 60
helicopters. Almost 50 percent of those aircraft had been
exported to countries overseas, including the United Arab
Emirates, Malaysia and Spain, he said.

"In 1997, we will start building N-250 aircraft that can carry
68 passengers," Habibie said, adding that the new product had
good prospects in the U.S., European, Australian and Asian
markets.

He said that the manufacture of the aircraft had been handled
by Indonesian engineers and "we import only aluminum as the raw
material for the aircraft's body."

Habibie said the company employed about 8,000 workers.
(rms/pet/pan)