Jakarta, Aug. 27 -- Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Sergei Tolchenov has clarified that Russia and Indonesia remain in preliminary discussions regarding the development of a spaceport in Biak, Papua, dismissing rumors that the facility would serve as a Russian military base.

He noted that the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has invited Russia's state space corporation, Roscosmos, to discuss potential cooperation.

"This is just the first (meeting), not even the first stage of cooperation, just the first discussion," Tolchenov said during a media briefing in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He confirmed that no formal cooperation agreement has been signed between the two parties, acknowledging that BRIN is likely holding s...