Russian choppers still Indonesia's main choice: Official

JAKARTA (Antara): Mi-17 Russian helicopters are still the main choice of the Indonesian government for modernizing its military carriers, as it has received an offer of a US$1 billion loan from the country, an official said.

Previously, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono also said that Indonesia was considering the purchase of Chinook helicopters from U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing, after meeting with Boeing deputy president Stanley Roth in Jakarta.

"We still prioritize Mi-17 Russian helicopters," said the secretary-general of the Defense Ministry, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, after chairing a meeting in his office Wednesday.

Russia previously offered Indonesia a $1 billion loan for modernizing its military equipment, including warships and helicopters.

He said the Defense Ministry would discuss the Russian offer with several relevant agencies, including the Finance Ministry, the Indonesian Military and the National Development PlanningAgency.

"If the loan is approved by the government, we will use $200 million to buy Mi-17 helicopters," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

Sjafrie said the government had not closed the possibility of buying the U.S helicopters, saying no decision on the military purchase had been made. (**)