Russia Repeats Offer To RI To Become A ‘Space Nation’

Jakarta - Russia has again urged the Indonesian
government to conclude a much-delayed agreement on a
milestone satellite station project, offering the idea of
Indonesia becoming a “prestigious space nation”.
Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Alexander A. Ivanov
reiterated on Tuesday his country’s keen interest in the
project to develop a satellite launch station on the
Indonesian island of Biak, which is situated off the
northern coast of Papua and 3,200 kilometers northeast
of Jakarta.
The plan was first made public in 2006, but no agreement
has so far been concluded to pave the way for its
implementation.
“To tell you frankly, the draft agreement is almost ready
with the exception of one article. It is on missile
technology immunity,” Ivanov told a media briefing in
Jakarta, adding that the Biak project would utilize
technology possessed only by Russia that had not been
used anywhere else in the world.
He said Indonesia was still troubled by the article, but
Russia kept pushing for it given that Indonesia was not a
member of the Missile Technology Control Regime; an
informal and voluntary partnership between 34 countries
to prevent the proliferation of missile and unmanned
aerial vehicle technology capable of carrying a 500-kg
payload at least 300 km.
Ivanov said Russia, as a member of the regime, had
“international obligations” on the safeguards.
Contacted separately, Indonesian Foreign Ministry
spokesman Michael Tene refused to discuss why the
Indonesian government still objected to the contentious
clause, citing only “technical issues” behind the prolonged
negotiations over the Biak project.
“As the negotiations are still ongoing, I cannot add
anything more,” Michael told The Jakarta Post.
Ivanov explained that the Biak station would be an air-
launch station, meaning satellites would be launched from
a “mothership” aircraft instead of from the ground.
He said this was more “ecologically friendly”, adding that
ground-based launches usually caused pollution on the
ground and in the air.
“If this project is implemented, Indonesia will become a
space nation. Indonesia will have the opportunity to
launch commercial satellites from all over the world,
especially countries situated in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Ivanov refused to share what was in the project for
Russia, but added that it would be very “beneficial” and
“prestigious” to Indonesia.
He added Biak was chosen due to its proximity to the
equator, reducing the cost of satellite launches.
“The cost of launching is eight times cheaper in
comparison to launching satellites, for example, from
territories in Kazakhstan or Russia.”
Ivanov also reiterated on Tuesday Russia’s interest in
boosting its trade and investment partnerships with
Indonesia.
He said a delegation of about 40 representatives from
major Russian private companies would visit Indonesia at
the end of the month to seek business opportunities in
Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
They include representatives from the space technology,
oil and gas, railway and agriculture sectors, Ivanov said.
Source : TJP