Indonesian vice-president visits Iraq
Iraq-Indonesia, Politics, 12/4/2001

Indonesian Vice-President Hamzah Haz is scheduled to visit Iraq in January or February to pave the way for the state-owned oil company, PT Pertamina, to explore oil in Iraq, Indonesian news agency ANTARA reported.

"The vice-president is planning to visit Iraq. It would be a good moment," Pertamina director, Baihaki Hakim, said after his meeting with Hamzah here Tuesday. Baihaki said Pertamina is eyeing the exploration of oil wells in the Western Desert block located between Baghdad and Jordan. Intensive negotiations between Pertamina and the Iraqi government have been taking place in the past three years, he said.

The two parties have agreed to sign a business contract, he added. "But Iraq has sought some conditions, namely that the contract would be made so long as there are official visits by senior Indonesian government officials. It wants a political approach," Baihaki said. He said the vice president's visit would hopefully pave the way for the company to sign the business contract immediately.

On Pertamina's investment, Baihaki said the first five years would focus only on the search for oil fields. "It would not be more than US$ 10 million," he said, adding that investments would continue if Pertamina finds oil. Hamzah's visit is also expected to reopen the talks on the "oil-for-food" program following the United Nations-sponsored economic embargo on the country. Baihaki said Indonesia once had a counter-trade with Iraq under the oil-for-food program, however it is currently at a standstill.

Previous Stories:
  Indonesian president announces trip to Iraq in november   (9/8/2000)
  Indonesian president plans to visit Iraq   (6/17/2000)
  Iraqi president meets with Indonesian speaker   (5/10/2000)

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