BOSNIA AND MALAYSIA TO INTENSIFY ECONOMIC COOPERATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (November 15,2007) - The Bosnian government wants Malaysian energy companies to participate in building hydroelectric power stations and other projects in Bosnia, the Bosnian Foreign Affairs Minister Sven Alkalaj stated in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.

He said the Bosnian government intended to build a few hydroelectric power stations on the Drina and Neretva river basins with an estimated cost of over US$100 million.

"We are looking for strategic partners from Malaysia with expertise in these projects," Alkalaj told reporters at the conference in Kuala Lumpur on business opportunities in Bosnia.

"We see it as a very important source of revenue to our country," he said, explaining that once the country has a good network of electric power supply, it can also provide the supply to other European countries.

He said the projects are expected to be implemented in the next three years after the feasibility studies and environmental rehabilitation programmes are conducted.

The other projects include airports, liquid natural gas terminals and a deepsea port, he said.

Alkalaj also urged Malaysian companies to intensify economic cooperation with their Bosnian counterparts in the tourism, food, military, infrastructure and information technology sectors.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Ng Lip Yong suggested to the Bosnian business community to use Malaysia's strategic location to enter the huge Asian market.

Ng also encouraged Bosnia to source for products from Malaysia such as palm oil, rubber and timber as well as wood and manufactured products.