Jakarta – The Indonesian provinces of Aceh and Papua, as well as Ambon city in Maluku province, are still closed to foreign researchers for security reasons, an official said on Friday.

"Although some parts of those provinces no longer have a security problem, they have yet to be declared safe," Ridwan Jacob, head of the Science and Technology Cooperation and Promotion Bureau at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), was quoted by Antara as saying.

Ridwan made the statement as a number of foreign researchers into orangutans had recently made enquiries about why they were still not allowed to work at Ketambe research station in southeastern Aceh.

He explained LIPI had issued permits to foreign researchers after consultations with 15 other relevant government institutions, including the National Intelligence Agency (BIN),institutions, including the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), the home ministry and the immigration office.

Those institutions had to consider the foreign researchers' proposals, personal backgrounds and the security situation in the country.

Security considerations were being given top priority as Indonesia did not want to take the risk of unforeseen incidents happening to foreign researchers, he said, adding, "Likewise, we would blamed for issuing permits for research in conflict areas".

According to Ridwan, LIPI received 15 to 20 research proposals from foreign parties every month.