Indonesia govt's impasse over Freeport could spook foreign investors

Jakarta

AS Indonesia's government ramps up pressure on Freeport McMoRan to relinquish control of its Grasberg copper-gold operation in the eastern province of Papua, the impasse risks sending a damaging message to investors that doing business in Indonesia is not for the faint of heart.

Earlier this month, the Indonesian government said it was sending one of its heaviest hitters, Luhut Pandjaitan, a former Suharto-era general, to head up talks with the US mining giant.