FOREIGN MINISTRY: STILL NO U.S APPROACH REGARDING AL MANAR

Jakarta, Aug 13 (ANTARA) - Till Wednesday (Aug 13) there was no approach made by the United States to the Indonesian government following a deal between PT. Indosat and Hisbullah's Al Manar TV station in Lebanon, spokesman for the foreign ministry, Teuku Faizasyah, said.

"There is no letter from the US government to the foreign ministry on this issue," said Faizasyah as contacted by Antara by phone here on Wednesday.

Earlier, as reported online and by the print media, the United States was reported to have made an approach to the Indonesian government to put pressure on the management of PT. Indosat to terminate a contract on leasing transponders to the Al Hanar TV station through the Palapa C2 satellite.

Al Manar is a television station owned by Hisbollah group in Lebanon. The television station signed a contract with Indosat in April 2000 on leasing transponders until April 2011.

"The transaction between PT. Indosat and Al Manar is purely on business-to-business basis," he said.

Till the release of this story, the US could not yet be reached for confirmation.