U.S. diplomats meet East Java legislators over ExxonMobil?s contract

Two United States diplomats have complained to the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) of East Java province in Surabaya against state oil and gas company PT Pertamina, Harian Ekonomi Neraca newspaper reported in its Thursday edition

The two diplomats are Marc L. Defjardins, the head of the political affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, and Philiph Antweiler, U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya.

They met with the Council?s leaders and explained about the dispute between American company ExxonMobil and Pertamina over the exploitation of oil in Bojonegoro regency, East Java.

After the meeting, the two diplomats declined to talk to reporters about the details.

But, the Council?s chairman H. Fathorrasjid said the U.S. diplomats came to the Council to "clarify" the dispute.

?They came to give clarification and emphasized the need for legal certainty. They sought the help of the Council to solve the dispute,? Fathorrasjid said.

Earlier, Pertamina said that it would not extend the contract of ExxonMobil to manage Cepu oil and gas block, which is partly located in Bojonegoro. ExxonMobil was disapponited over the move as it had spent lot of money for exploration activities to find huge oil and gas resources in the block. (*)