EU to discuss flight ban on Indonesian airlines in July

"They (EU) said they will possibly discuss the flight ban in July when the European Commission holds a meeting. It is impossible for them to discuss it next April 17," the minister said here on Wednesday.

The minister made the statement after receiving the European Union`s Interim Ambassador to Indonesia Pierre Philippe and the head of the EU`s Trade Section, Andreas Julin.

The ambassador and Julin visited the minister to introduce the EU`s consultant on Indonesia-European Union Partnership for Aviation Safety, Jean Piere Ambrosini.

Jusman said the European Union`s Commission`s meeting on April 17 to be attended by 27 EU member countries could not yet discuss the possible lifting of the flight ban because the commission should have received a report on it on March 17, 2008 at the latest.

"The consultant arrived only today so that he has only two weeks to make preparations," the minister said.

He said he had proposed the matter be discussed (on April 17), but Ambrosini said it was impossible because he was just starting his work.

Ambrosini will collect data for six months in Indonesia and