On Friday 2 March Minister of International Development Anne Kristin Sydnes is signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indonesian Government on cooperation on oil emergency response in Indonesia. Norway will be contributing NOK 1 million to the establishment of an oil spill response organization.

"Norway is concerned to protect the natural environment from the consequences of oil spills. I am pleased that Indonesia will be able to benefit from our experience in this field," said Ms Sydnes. The Minister is on a one-week visit to Indonesia and East Timor to meet with key cooperation partners and review Norwegian involvement in the region.

The oil spill response organization is being established as a follow-up to the cooperation between the Indonesian authorities, the Norwegian authorities and Det Norske Veritas, which began in 1998. Norway has contributed NOK 5 million to these efforts.