TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), who is currently on a state visit to Iran, will hold talks with Iranian leaders to boost cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector.
Iran has one of the worlds largest energy reserves and diversifying energy cooperation will be very important for national energy resilience, Bey Machmudin, the head of the Press, Media and Information Bureau of the State Secretariat, said in a press statement received here on Wednesday.
President Joko Widodo will discuss steps to increase cooperation in oil and gas as well as oil field management in Iran and oil refinery investments in Indonesia, he said.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in Tehran on Tuesday that a further meeting at the ministerial level will be held on December 15.
"Iran has huge potential for cooperation in the field of energy as well as oil and gas. Today Pak (Mr) Jonan arrived and held a meeting to discuss cooperation, and tomorrow the results would be made known," she said.
Minister Jonan said the two countries will discuss cooperation between state-owned energy company Pertamina and National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) as well as between state power company PT PLN and Mapna Group (Iran Power Plant Projects Management Company).
"The president director of PLN has also been here. Discussion on technical cooperation especially in the field of gas turbine will also be held between Magna and PLN," Jonan said.
Pertamina had recently sought cooperation with Iran in oil and gas management, including supply of liquefied petroleum gas and oil, and investments in Indonesias oil and gas upstream sector.
On Wednesday, the second day of his visit to Tehran, President Jokowi held a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khameinei.
Several memoranda of understanding will be signed, including one on extradition and another on mutual legal assistance by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on behalf of Indonesia, on electricity by Energy Minister Jonan, and on investment by the head of the National Investment Coordinating Board.
ANTARA
