Namru-2 is of no benefit to Indonesia, outspoken minister says

"To me, nothing needs to be explained because the presence of Namru-2 is obviously of no benefit to Indonesia," the minister said in a working meeting with the House`s Commission I here on Wednesday.

In the meeting led by Commission I Chairman Theo L Sambuaga, Minister Supari said she was very disappointed about a visit House Commission I members had made to the Namru-2 laboratory last Wednesday (June 18).

The visit was useless because Namru-2 had done nothing in the interest of research in Indonesia, she said.

"The Namru-2 laboratory is not any better than our own laboratories such as the Eijkman Laboratory in Bandung. Why didn`t Commission I visit our own laboratories which are of clear benefit to the country?" she said.

Minister Supari said the health ministry`s Health Research and Development Center had gained nothing from Indonesia`s cooperation with Namru-2.

"We only got small research jobs, while when we asked cooperation in tuberculosis (TBC) research, they refused because they did not have any interest in it," she said.

Namru-2, according to her, only carried out research in the interest of the US military, not of Indonesia , under a cooperation agreement signed in 1970.

She said there was no equality in status in the cooperation which, in fact, clearly did not respect Indonesia`s sovereignty.

Therefore, the presence of Namru-2 in Indonesia must be reconsidered, she said.

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