Indonesia mining minister says government also has right to bring Freeport to arbitration

Indonesia's mining minister Ignasius Jonan on Monday said the government can also bring Freeport-McMoRan Inc to arbitration if both sides fail to reach an agreement over a mining contract.

Earlier on Monday, Freeport-McMoRan chief executive Richard Adkerson said the company may commence arbitration if it and the government cannot negotiate within 120 days a dispute over its mining contract in Indonesia.

"If there's no agreement, this can be brought to arbitration. Not only Freeport, the government also has a right to bring this to arbitration," Jonan told reporters.

(Reporting by Wilda Asmarini; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo; Editing by Tom Hogue)