The US-ASEAN Business Council is in buoyant mood as Asian Aerospace 2000 gets under way.

The organisation, which represents private sector interests in ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is upbeat about business prospects in the region in general and the air transport sector in particular.

A Business Council mission to Indonesia which finished on the eve of the show, concluded that the government of Indonesia is committed to enacting changes necessary to spur economic recovery and resolve security concerns around the country.

"The new government of Indonesia has accomplished an incredible feat in its first 100 days," says Michael Gadbaw, vice-president of General Electric and chairman of the US Indonesia Business Committee. "It has re-established ties with the IMF, negotiated commitment for $5 billion in additional funding through 2003 and is focusing on priority issues such as bank capitalisation and corporate restructuring."

Source: Flight Daily News