The Government Calls The Boeing Purchase Agreement Still The Initial Stage, No Contract Value

JAKARTA - The government has confirmed that until now there has been no official contract value agreed regarding the planned purchase of Boeing aircraft.

Previously, United States President Donald Trump had mentioned that Indonesia had agreed to buy 50 Boeing aircraft as part of the trade negotiation process.

Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Susiwijono Moegiarso, emphasized that the agreement was still in its early stages so that no contract value had yet been established.

"Yesterday's MOU also hasn't (there is) what Garuda has yet to sign, the new signature is for energy with agriculture," he told the media crew, Friday, July 18.

"But we have explored that there will be an agreement there but it still depends on business considerations, and so on," he added.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto said that regarding the purchase of Boeing planes from the United States, Prabowo also said that this was done to support the development of the national airline Garuda Indonesia.

"Yes, indeed, we need to raise Garuda, Garuda is our pride, Garuda is a national flight carrier, Garuda was born in our independence war. So Garuda must be a symbol of Indonesia, we are determined, I am determined to raise Garuda and for that, we need new planes. I don't think there is a problem because we need it, they want to sell, the Boeing plane is also quite good, we also stay from Airbus," he said.

Prabowo emphasized that trade cooperation between Indonesia and the United States is based on common interests.

"We also need for example, we are still importing fuel, we are still importing gas, we still need to import wheat, we still need to import soybeans and so on. So finally we can get a meeting point," he said.

Prabowo also ensured regarding the possibility of a trade deficit that all decisions had gone through careful calculations and thorough considerations of national interests.

"Everything we have calculated, we all negotiate, we also think, what matters to me is my people. The important thing is that I have to protect our workers, even though we also have an attitude, this is our offer, we are unable to give more. But what is important for me, our workers are safe, and I am very optimistic that our economy is in a strong condition, the condition is good. So whatever happens, we will be strong, "he concluded.