RI-PNG Explore Investment In Energy At Border Area

Jakarta, May 21 (Antara) - Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) are exploring an investment cooperation in energy sector and mineral resources at the border between the two countries. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik after a meeting with PNG State Enterprises and Investment Minister Ben Micah here on Tuesday said RI-PNG border has abundant energy and mineral resources. "Such a cooperation is expected to benefit both countries," the minister said, adding that besides investment, the two countries border cooperation would improve security situation in the area. Wacik said that with Ben Micah, they discussed cooperation in oil and gas development with state oil company PT Pertamina, in addition to a planned visit to Indonesia by PNG prime minister next month. According to him, a number of cooperation agreements including in energy would be signed during the visit. The visit to Indonesia by the PNG prime minister would follow up his meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at Bali Democracy Forum in Bali recently. "At the time President Yudhoyono and the PNG prime minister discussed the cooperation plan including in energy sector," Wacik said. Meanwhile, Ben Micah said energy and mineral potential at the border near Indonesia was abundant but has yet to be exploited. "Therefore we are going to make a joint venture with Pertamina to develop the energy and mineral potential," he said, adding that multinational oil and gas companies such as ExxonMobil, Total SA, and Shell had made exploration in Papua New Guinea.