Purnomo opens ASEAN mining meet

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro opened on Thursday a one-day ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals in Yogyakarta.

Purnomo in his opening speech said that the government was committed to continue develop the country's mineral sector and resolve the various uncertainties such those related to regional autonomy and environmental issue.

He also stressed the need for the members of the Association of South East Asian Nations to boost cooperation in the development and utilization of mineral resources.

He said that the current lack of cooperation among others is due to the lack of availability of data and information systems of mineral resources which could be accessed on line by all ASEAN member countries; lack of information from related sectors such as trade, investment, manpower, and environment; and the lack of common regional policy on mineral resources utilization so that there is some integration in mineral resource development activities.(Godang)