Mega to open energy dialog in Houston
Mega to open energy dialog in Houston
JAKARTA (JP): President Megawati Soekarnoputri is to open a
working conference on energy in Houston on September 24, 2001
during her scheduled trip to the United States.
Dubbed the Houston Energy Dialog (HED) 2001, the one-day
conference is considered to be a discussion forum for business
circles in the U.S. to discuss Indonesia's plans to take a larger
role in the international energy market.
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-
Jakti is expected to spearhead the Indonesian delegation, which
will also include Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources
Purnomo Yusgiantoro and Chairman of the House of Representatives
Commission VIII on energy and mineral resources, environment,
science and technology Irwan Prayitno.
In the forum, it is expected that the Indonesian government
will deliver a comprehensive explanation of its energy policy,
including the new draft law on oil and gas, which has yet to get
approval from the House.
The new oil and gas bill is designed to liberalize the
country's oil and gas industry.
"The HED conference will provide investors with important
information and a favorable investment atmosphere that can be
beneficial to all of us," Subroto, chairman of the Bimasena Club,
the meeting's co-organizer, was quoted as saying by detik.com
Website on Monday.
Subroto went on to say that Indonesia should see the forum as
a chance to deliver to foreign investors balanced reports on what
is actually happening in the country, something that might boost
their confidence to invest in Indonesia.
Michael Sumarijanto, the Bimasena Director Executive who is
also the co-Chairman in the conference, shared the same view with
Subroto, saying that what really counts for the meeting is how to
convince international investors that the situation in Indonesia
is conducive enough for business.
"A balance report about Indonesia is what they (foreigners)
are lacking right now," Michael told the Jakarta Post on
Monday.
"That's why one of the main purposes of this meeting is to
give them whatever we have to offer, so that they can regain
their confidence to come and invest in Indonesia."
Pertamina, the state-owned oil and gas company, has Houston in
its list as one of its three marketing offices.
Over the past couple of years, oil and gas companies operating
in the country has been faced with security problem, increasing
protest from local people and problems created by the new
autonomy law.(10)