Russia and RI sign satellite deal

Russia and RI sign satellite deal

Mikhail Tsyganov, RIA Novosti/Kuala Lumpur

In December during Russia Hi-Tech 2005 exposition in Malaysia's capital acting CEO of Russian state-owned Russian Satellite Communications Company Yury Izmailov and President Director of No 1 Indonesian satellite telecoms operator Telkom Arwin Rashid signed a memorandum on the launch of a communications satellite.

The 1,000-sq m 18-stand exhibition of Russian IT, telecoms, biotechnology, microelectronics, robotics, and aerospace resulted in a deal under which Russians will make and orbit a civilian communications satellite covering Russia, Indonesia, and member states of the ASEAN.

Indonesian Minister for Communication and Information Sofyan A. Djalil told RIA Novosti after the signing that the memorandum marked an important step in the cooperation between the two countries and opened doors for other joint projects.

Rashid said the Indonesian company was interested in the Russian experience of providing telecommunications services to remote areas.

Indonesia is a vast country that desperately needs a satellite communication capability, and the launch of the Russian satellite would be an opening chapter of that story, he said.

"The six-day exhibition at the Regent Hotel designed to promote the interests of Russian companies in the regional high- technology market was hugely successful in terms of business contacts," said Gennady Shitikov, chief executive of the exhibition operator Tekhnopol.

"The exhibition was conceptually oriented at scientific and technological priorities of Malaysia and other ASEAN member states," he added.

"It was promoted by the Information Technologies Ministry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Education and Science Ministry, the Federal Agency for Science and Innovations, the Russian Space Agency, and the Federal Agency for Industry. They presented 27 companies, research institutes, and universities. There were also three independent participants."

Gennady Shitikov said the Russian exhibition had been attended by Malay state officials and companies, as well as by participants in the 3rd ASEAN Business and Investment Forum held in Kuala Lumpur on Dec. 12-14.