Dahlan Meets With U.S. Business Leaders

Jakarta, Nov 12 (Antara) - State enterprises minister Dahlan Iskan received 18 US business leaders to discuss business opportunities that are available with Indonesia`s state-owned companies here on Tuesday. "They wish to get more information in case they expand their businesses into Indonesia and, especially, seek to cooperate with Indonesian state-owned companies," Dahlan said. The business leaders, members of the US-ASEAN Business Council, represented Boeing, BP Indonesia, Caterpillar, Chevron, Conoco Philips, Fedex, Ford Motor Indonesia, General Electric, Hewlett Packard Indonesia, Exxon, Freeport McMoran, Nike Indonesia, P&G, HM Sampoerna, Quallcom and Visa. Dahlan said no cooperation agreements were signed during the closed-door meeting, which lasted for about 40 minutes. "It was just a meeting to discuss developments among US businesses in Indonesia. If they wish to cooperate with BUMNs (state-owned companies) they have to take part in a tender, like other private companies. There is a procedure they have to follow," he said. Dahlan, however, said that during the meeting he had asked the business executives to expand their investments in the country. "I am optimistic that the US, with its global-scale companies, is willing to increase its investment here. Our relations with the US are good. It is the US that has taught us democracy," he said. He mentioned, as an example, that Ford Indonesia has already expressed its commitment to expand its plant in Bekasi, while Chevron plans to develop a geo-thermal power plant with Exxon to take advantage of its investment in East Natuna Block. "We also touched on basic problems they are facing, such as legal and regulatory issues, as well as the possibility of a tax holiday, to be considered if it will increase investments in the country," he said.