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Yudhoyono and Putin Discuss Satellite Base in Biak
Thursday, 15 December, 2005 | 01:42 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Kuala Lumpur:Indonesia and Russia have agreed to work together in matters of outer space technology by using Biak, Papua, as a base to launch satellites.

“Biak was chosen as a satellite launch base because of its close proximity of orbit paths,” said presidential spokesperson Dino Patti Jalal in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday morning (14/12).

According to Jalal, outer space cooperation was one of the topics of discussion during a bilateral meeting between Indonesian President Yudhoyono and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday afternoon (14/12).

Both leaders are in Kuala Lumpur to attend the first East Asia Summit.

Jalal explained that the satellite to be launched in Biak was a television and radio communication satellite and the launch will likely to be in 2007.

“As a first step, President Yudhoyono and President Putin will meet face to face and discuss the technical implementation, including the agreement, the financing and the countries that will own the satellite,” stated Jalal. (TH Salengke/Wahyudi MP-Tempo News Room)