KSA announces Indonesia investments as king visits

AP, Bogor: Saudi Arabia pledged $1 billion in development finance for Indonesia and expanded cooperation in other areas, deepening ties with Southeast Asia's biggest economy as the Saudi king and a huge entourage arrived yesterday for a 9-day visit.
Enthusiastic crowds lined the route of King Salman's heavily guarded motorcade as it arrived in Bogor, near the capital Jakarta, where officials events were held at an imposing presidential palace.
He was earlier welcomed at Jakarta's Halim airport by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and the minority Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, who is fighting a tough election battle after being charged with blaspheming the Quran.
At a joint news conference, the countries' foreign ministers affirmed Saudi Aramco and Indonesian oil company Pertamina's plans for a $6 billion refinery joint venture in Cilacap in central Java. The two countries also signed 11 agreements that included a Saudi commitment to provide $1 billion of financing for economic development and cooperation to combat transnational crime such as people smuggling, terrorism and drug trafficking.
Salman is on a tour of Asian countries to advance the kingdom's economic and business interests. On his first stop in Malaysia, Saudi Aramco signed a $7 billion deal to take a 50 percent stake in a Malaysian oil refinery. Salman will also visit Brunei, Japan, China and the Maldives, the official Saudi Press Agency has reported.
The first visit of a Saudi monarch to Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, in nearly a half century generated blanket media coverage.
Live broadcasts showed the octogenarian Salman exiting his plane at Halim using a gold-colored escalator sent from Saudi Arabia for the visit, with a portable lift carrying him the final meter or so to the ground.
Salman will spend six of his nine days in Indonesia vacationing on the resort island of Bali, a predominantly Hindu part of the Indonesian archipelago.
"As the world's biggest Muslim nation, Indonesia will always have a special bond with Saudi Arabia," said Jokowi. "Indonesia and Saudi Arabia are two big countries that have important influence in the region, and our countries should continue to improve cooperation both in bilateral and international contexts."

KSA announces Indonesia investments as king visits

AP, Bogor: Saudi Arabia pledged $1 billion in development finance for Indonesia and expanded cooperation in other areas, deepening ties with Southeast Asias biggest economy as the Saudi king and a huge entourage arrived yesterday for a 9-day visit. Enthusiastic crowds lined the route of King Salmans heavily guarded motorcade as it arrived in Bogor, near the capital Jakarta, where officials events were held at an imposing presidential palace. He was earlier welcomed at Jakartas Halim airport by President Joko Jokowi Widodo and the minority Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, who is fighting a tough election battle after being charged with blaspheming the Quran. At a joint news conference, the countries foreign ministers affirmed Saudi Aramco and Indonesian oil company Pertaminas plans for a $6 billion refinery joint venture in Cilacap in central Java. The two countries also signed 11 agreements that included a Saudi commitment to provide $1 billion of financing for economic development and cooperation to combat transnational crime such as people smuggling, terrorism and drug trafficking. Salman is on a tour of Asian countries to advance the kingdoms economic and business interests. On his first stop in Malaysia, Saudi Aramco signed a $7 billion deal to take a 50 percent stake in a Malaysian oil refinery. Salman will also visit Brunei, Japan, China and the Maldives, the official Saudi Press Agency has reported. The first visit of a Saudi monarch to Indonesia, the worlds most populous Muslim nation, in nearly a half century generated blanket media coverage. Live broadcasts showed the octogenarian Salman exiting his plane at Halim using a gold-colored escalator sent from Saudi Arabia for the visit, with a portable lift carrying him the final meter or so to the ground. Salman will spend six of his nine days in Indonesia vacationing on the resort island of Bali, a predominantly Hindu part of the Indonesian archipelago. As the worlds biggest Muslim nation, Indonesia will always have a special bond with Saudi Arabia, said Jokowi. Indonesia and Saudi Arabia are two big countries that have important influence in the region, and our countries should continue to improve cooperation both in bilateral and international contexts.