Future uncertain for Bougainville mine

Future uncertain for Bougainville mine

ABC Radio Australia

5 May 04

The owner of the defunct Panguna copper mine in the Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville is hoping to hold talks soon on its future ownership of the mine.

The mine, owned by Bougainville Copper Limited, has not operated since 1989, when the island's secessionist conflict erupted.

At the company's annual meeting in the PNG capital, Port Moresby, chairman Peter Taylor said BCL still wanted to divest itself of its remaining assets on Bougainville.

However, Mr Taylor says it is up to the governments of PNG and Bougainville to come to the party.

"We have to sort out between ourselves - the national government, the company and the provincial people - what they want done in the future," Mr Taylor said.

"I'm very flexible on that, I've made that quite clear I'm ready to talk about anything they want to talk about... Everything and anything can be put on the agenda," he said.