Sempati to fly to Myanmar

Sempati to fly to Myanmar

JAKARTA (JP): Sempati Air, one of the country's six scheduled
air carriers, will likely begin serving Myanmar later this year
based on a recent agreement designed to improve economic ties.

Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto told reporters
after attending a ministerial meeting on the economy here
yesterday that Sempati has been chosen to serve Myanmar because
the national air carrier Garuda Indonesia is very busy with its
own routes.

Sempati is a subsidiary of Humpuss Group, which is owned by
Hutomo Mandala Putra, President Soeharto's youngest son. The
carrier currently serves both domestic and international
destinations, including Taiwan, Australia and Singapore.

Haryanto, who accompanied Coordinating Minister for Industry
and Trade Hartarto during his visit to Myanmar last week, said
that Myanmar's air carrier will serve Indonesia starting in June.

Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave and
30 businessmen also took part in the visit to Myanmar.

Hartarto said that the visit was made to reciprocate the visit
to Jakarta last year a Myanmarese delegation led by First
Secretary Lt.Gen. Khin Nyunt.

"Myanmar is offering to enhance cooperation in
telecommunications, trade, forestry, television and air
transportation," he said.

Haryanto added that Myanmar is also interested in purchasing
two Foker-27s from Garuda and in studying airport construction
and management from Indonesia.

"They have also asked whether we can provide them with soft
loans for the extension of their airports," Haryanto said.

Joop said that Myanmar's economy is very promising for
Indonesian businessmen.

"They are considering leasing a transponder from Palapa C-1,
Indonesia's communications satellite of the next generation," he
said. (icn)