Indonesian chief to travel to Iran as major oil refinery deal looms

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Mar. 06 – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is to travel to Iran in the coming days to discuss Tehran’s nuclear standoff with the West and to secure numerous trade agreements between the two states, officials in Jakarta said on Thursday.
Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Mar. 06 – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is to travel to Iran in the coming days to discuss Tehran’s nuclear standoff with the West and to secure numerous trade agreements between the two states, officials in Jakarta said on Thursday.

The announcement by the Indonesian government spokesman came as the Jakarta Post reported that Indonesian state oil firm Pertamina is hoping to sign a 2 billion U.S. dollar deal with an Iranian company to build the world’s second largest oil refinery in Indonesia’s Banten Province.

The refinery is expected to have a capacity of 200,000 barrels of oil per day, the report said.

Yudhoyono is planning to hold talks with Iran’s hard-line President Mahmud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei during his two-day trip to Tehran which begins March 10.

The United Nations Security Council voted on Monday to impose a third set of sanctions on Iran over its refusal to halt its suspected nuclear weapons activity. A European-sponsored resolution was adopted at the 15-member Council by 14 votes in favour and none opposed. The only abstention came from Indonesia.