Turkmenistan offers cotton project to RI businessmen
Turkmenistan offers cotton project to RI businessmen
JAKARTA (JP): Turkmenistan is offering Indonesian investors a
chance to develop its land for primarily cotton growing.
The offer was made by Deputy Prime Minister R. Saparov during
the Indonesia-Turkmenistan Business Forum in the capital city of
Ashgabat on Monday night.
To a number of guests including Indonesian foreign minister
Ali Alatas, Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Rachmat Witoelar and
several top Indonesian business executives, Saparov said that
foreign investors would be free to do as they wished with the
cotton produced.
It can be sold locally or even shipped to Indonesia, Saparov
said as quoted by Antara.
The Indonesian officials and business executives are part of
the delegation accompanying President Soeharto on his trip to
Germany and the three Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Ashgabat was the last leg of his trip and the President will
head home later today. He is scheduled to arrive in Jakarta
tomorrow morning.
Among the businessmen accompanying the president to
Turkmenistan were Hashim Djojohadikusumo, Poncho Sutowo and Dali
Sofari.
Indonesia's business venture in Turkmenistan was pioneered by
PT Prima Comexindo. The company has existing deals for assembly
line facilities and imports about 500,000 tons of cotton annually
to Indonesia.
After a meeting with Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov
yesterday, President Soeharto visited the 2000-year-old ruins of
Nissa, located just west of the capital city of Ashgabat.
Nissa, also known as Parthaunisa, is one of the capitals of
the ancient Parthian empire.
After a festive welcoming ceremony of traditional Turkmenistan
music and dances the president toured the grounds and saw the
statue of Rodogoune, built around the year 200 B.C.
Rodogoune was a Parthian heroin famed for her beauty and
bravery.
Following his visit to the ruins, the president and Mrs. Tien
Soeharto toured a state-owned horse farm.
Horse racing is a highly popular past time in Turkmenistan.
To taste the excitement and atmosphere of this long-held
custom, President Soeharto is scheduled to attend a horse race
prior to his departure for Jakarta this afternoon.
Earlier in the morning, Soeharto will also hold a second
meeting with Niyazov, which will be followed by a tour of a
carpet making factory. (mds)