Sudan-RI university inaugurated

MALANG, East Java: Indonesian Vice President Hamzah Haz and his Sudanese counterpart Ali Osman Taha attended here on Sunday the inauguration of a university that symbolizes the two countries' close ties.

Called the Indonesia-Sudan Friendship Islamic University, it is an extension of the Malang Institute of Islamic Studies.

Taha arrived in Malang after visiting national aircraft maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia in Bandung earlier in the day, where he expressed his government's interest in buying the company's products, the CN-235 and CN-250.

He said the university in Malang was indicative of the long- standing ties between Indonesia and Sudan, both of which were members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

Hamzah said the Sudanese government had cosponsored the development of the newly inaugurated university.

On Monday afternoon, Taha is scheduled to meet President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the latter's residence on Jl. Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta. -- Antara