Indonesia called for Exxon Mobil and state energy company Pertamina to resolve as soon as possible a dispute over the Cepu oil-and-gas field in an eastern province.

Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said in a speech from Cepu that the dispute over the East Java province's energy field was vital to national interests.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had asked that negotiations between Exxon and Pertamina be settled this week, Kalla said. He said prolonged discussions were harmful for both sides, and that Yudhoyono might personally intervene if a deal isn't worked out.
"I expect that the president of Exxon will understand Indonesia's position," Kalla said.
Cepu's block has estimated reserves of 600 million barrels of oil.
The two sides signed a contract in September. Pertamina has blamed the stalled agreement on Exxon's insistence that it be the sole operator during the deal's 30-year duration. Pertamina wants to operate the Cepu block for the first five years.