Mr Rowling alarmed at petro-chemical prospects

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 3

Mr Rowling alarmed at petro-chemical prospects

NZPA staff correspondent

Hong Kong Developments in Indonesia have confirmed fears which the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Rowling, has about the viability of some New Zealand moves in the energy sector.

In a telephone interview from Jakarta, he said “alarm bells" had rung when he was briefed on Indonesian plans for a petro-chemical industry associated with natural gas fields. “There are tremendous plans under way in Indonesia for the production of urea," he said. "In 18 months time, the Indonesians feel, they will have a surplus production.

“Malaysia is also developing a urea plant and these projects are going to run head on into New Zealand's own plans in the same area." Mr Rowling said also that the Indonesian Minister oi Industry, Abdul Rauf Suhud strongly subscribed to the view that oil prices would stabilise for a long period That suggested problems for New Zealand's synthetic fuel project, which had been costed on the basis of escalating oil prices. Efforts to achieve a peaceful political settlement in Kampuchea dominated Mr Rowling’s conversations with leading political figures in Thailand. Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. His last appointment in Jakarta was with Vice-Presi-

dent Adam Malik and among other politicians he saw in Jakarta was the General Policy and Security Minister, General Maraden Panggabean. The general also deputised for the Foreign Minister. Dr Mochtar Kusumaat-. madja. who was absent from the country accompanying President Suharto on a visit to the United States.

Mr Rowling said there were considerable shades of difference in the attitudes of the individual A.S.E.A.N. nations to the situation in Kampuchea, but they had managed to agree on a common policy. "I have no doubt that they will stick to that," he said. Indonesia, he said, had a closer relationship with Vietnam than the . other

A.S.E.A.N. members and was doing its best to get Vietnam "to back off."

Mr Rowling said that in none of the four countries he visited was the question of New Zealand's sporting contacts with South Africa raised. He said New Zealand was perceived “in pretty good light" throughout South-East Asia and it had been '"comfortable to be travelling under the New Zealand flag."