Rafsanjani to visit Indonesia

Rafsanjani to visit Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani will arrive
here Thursday for a three-day state visit, Minister/State
Secretary Moerdiono announced yesterday.

During the visit, Rafsanjani will hold talks with President
Soeharto on Thursday on matters of regional, bilateral and
international importance, Moerdiono was quoted by the Antara news
agency as saying.

Rafsanjani, who will be accompanied by his wife and a number
of his cabinet ministers, including Foreign Affairs Minister Ali
Akbar Velayati, will also meet with Indonesian ulemas.

On Friday, the president of the Islamic republic will join
Jakartan Moslems in Friday prayer at the Istiqlal Mosque, and,
later the same day, will visit the state-owned Nusantara Aircraft
Industry (IPTN) in Bandung, West Java.

He will conclude his visit Saturday with a press conference
and then leave Indonesia for Brunei Darussalam.

Rafsanjani's itinerary reflects Iranian requests last year for
better trade ties and stronger cooperation in religious affairs
and education with Indonesia.

During President Soeharto's visit to Iran late last year, the
Iranian government stated its wish to have Indonesia's assistance
in establishing an aircraft assembling plant which will use
components from IPTN.

Iran also wanted to develop its shipbuilding industry with
assistance from Indonesia.

In addition, Teheran has invited Indonesian Moslems to
cooperate with their Iranian brothers in religious affairs,
education and small-scale industries. (swe)