Indonesia not to send an astronaut to Mir

The Russian Itar Tass news agency says Indonesia has withdrawn from a joint project to send a cosmonaut to the Russian space station Mir.

The agency said Indonesia had given no reason for the decision but reports say it may be due to the cost of the project -- at least several millions dollars.

Indonesia asked the Russian space agency two months ago to organise a space flight for an Indonesian to the Mir station.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service