Austria offers 13 economic cooperation projects

Antara News, Wednesday, November 10, 2010 20:53 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Austria has offered 13 economic cooperation projects covering infrastructure development in various fields to Indonesia.

Indonesia`s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Radjasa said here on Tuesday "we have agreed to increase cooperation in the economic field as the volume of trade between the two countries has not yet reflected its potentials."

He made the statement in a press conference after receiving Austria`s economic minister Reinhold Mitterlehner and delegation at his office.

Hatta said although the trade balance and Austrian investment in the country was not too big the two countries had agreed to encourage businessmen of the two countries to increase cooperation in various fields.

"We will increase the bilateral cooperation not only in the field of trade but also investment such as in the renewable energy technology, health service, transportation and other infrastructure that we would be badly in need in the future," he said.

He said he hoped through Austria which has a strategic position in the Central Europe Indonesia could also expand its market in Europe.

"With Austria`s strategic position we hope we can promote cooperation to a higher level. Austria meanwhile could develop biofuel energy with the raw materials coming from Indonesia or set up a plant here," he said.

Hatta said the 13 cooperation projects had been included in the government`s blue book and were still being further processed including carbon emission reduction and transportation projects.

"We have received an offer of a transportation system such as cable car which is like a light train is cheap and potential. In big cities it is effective and can serve as a feeding car to serve an integrated transportation system," he said.

Austria`s economic minister Reinhold Mitterlehner meanwhile said he hoped his visit with a 50-member business delegation would increase bilateral economic relations and cooperation between the two countries including in renewable energy development.

"The two countries have a common goal of reducing carbon emissions and therefore we have offered infrastructure projects and we are hoping for a concrete result from the cooperation," he said.

He said Indonesia and Austria could also use the cooperation opportunity for opening trade representatives in Austria and for Austrian private companies to participate in the financing of infrastructure projects in Indonesia through public-private partnership.

Among the cooperation projects that Austria had presented include the development of a hospital in cooperation between AME International GmbH and the ministry of defense, provision of hydro power equipment between Andritz Hydro GmbH and PT PLN and the ministry of public works, provision of high-tech solutions in various fields, development of powertrain system between AVL List GmbH and the ministry of education, development and provision of machinery and system for railway maintenance between Plasser&Theurer Export von Bahnbaumshinen GmbH and the Directorate General of Railway of the ministry of transportation.

Other projects include provision of concepts of development and operations in the health service between VAMED Engineering GmbH & Co. KG with the ministry of defense, transportation system between VAE GmbH and the Directorate General of Railway.

It has offered projects in the production of railway lines for electricity train service between Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH and PT Saratoga Infrastructure, provision of communication and information system in the fields of air transportation and public safety between Requentis AG and the ministry of transportation, the ministry of home affairs and the ministry of fisheries and marine resources.

Austria has also offered cooperation projects in tsunami-related business consultancy between ICR GmbH and the ministry of communication and information, for the provision of railway technology equipment between LISINGER Maschinenbau GmbH and the Directorate General of Railway , and for the provision of information security system between Mils Electonic GmbH & Co KG with the ministry of defense and the ministry of domestic affairs, and for the provision for a system of waste water processing between Ovivo Austria GmbH and the ministry of defense.