Message from German Ambassador Heinrich Seemann<\/p>\n
In this year, Indonesia and Germany have something special to
\ncelebrate -- our Indonesian friends have the 50th anniversary of
\ntheir independence, and the Germans have the fifth anniversary of
\ntheir reunification.<\/p>\n
Both dates remind us of historical events which were of
\ncrucial importance for our countries. As Germans, we are happy
\nthat the long division of our country, as well as that of Europe,
\ncould be overcome and that our aspirations for reunification were
\nfinally fulfilled. This happened in a unique process of peaceful
\ninternational settlement, leaving behind us years of
\nconfrontation between antagonistic blocks in Europe and the world
\nas a whole.<\/p>\n
Looking on the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of
\nGerman reunification, as well as on the 50th anniversary of
\nIndonesian independence, we are well aware that the history of
\nour two countries and the tradition of special relations between
\nour countries date back for centuries. In Germany, we had always
\nfelt a deep admiration for the old culture of Indonesia, with its
\nsplendid past. It so happens that in this very year, thousands
\nand thousands of Germans are flocking to Hildesheim, where the
\nNational Museum of Jakarta, together with the Roemer-Pelizaeus-
\nMuseum, have organized a major exhibition, titled \"Ancient
\nKingdoms of Indonesia\", which is, by the way, also a part of our
\ncontribution to the 50th anniversary of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Anniversaries usually provide an opportunity to look back. I
\nthink, however, that we should use both events to look ahead.<\/p>\n
It is true that reunited Germany had to tackle with the ruins
\nof a state-run communist economy in East Germany, which had not
\nonly gone bankrupt, but which had also lost its traditional
\nmarkets. In the past five years, we have succeeded in building up
\nin East Germany the cornerstone of one of the most modern
\ntechnological setups in Europe. The reason: we had to start from
\nscratch and could trust on highly motivated and well educated men
\nand women, a situation which resembled the time of reconstructing
\nthe West German economy in the 1950s. Today, the growth rate in
\nEast Germany lies well beyond 6 percent or 7 percent - thus
\nresembling the growth rate of the economy of our Indonesian
\nfriends.<\/p>\n
Reunited Germany, though not a big country, situated in the
\nheart of Europe and member state of the European Union, is firmly
\nset to continue the traditional cooperation with our Indonesian
\nfriends. A cooperation which began in the very first years after
\nIndonesia became independent, when many young Indonesians came to
\nstudy at German universities.<\/p>\n
It is in this spirit that we want to be partners in the world
\nof tomorrow, in a world which will reveal Indonesia as one of the
\nmajor players on the political chessboard of Asia and the Pacific
\nin the 21st century. In the framework of our new policy approach
\ntowards Asia we are ready to broaden our cooperation with
\nIndonesia in all possible fields: politics, economy, development
\npolicy, technology transfer, environment, education, scientific
\nexchanges, professional training, and culture.<\/p>\n
It was this future which was at the heart of the talks which
\nPresident Soeharto and Chancellor Helmut Kohl had in Bonn in
\nApril 1995.<\/p>\n
Moreover, Germany and Indonesia, being both, at the moment,
\nmembers of the UN Security Council, envisage an extended dialog
\nin fields which span from the reform of the United Nations, to
\nhuman rights. The newly established Indonesian-German Forum for
\nEconomy and Technology will have its first meeting in October
\nthis year. Plans of opening a so-called German Center in Jakarta
\nare well on the way.<\/p>\n
The numerous visits of delegations from German Federal states
\nto Indonesia in the last 12 months will have an equally strong
\ninfluence towards future economic and industrial cooperation, as
\ndo the visits of Federal ministers to Indonesia and of Indonesian
\nministers to Germany.<\/p>\n
A special long-range impetus is expected from the
\nparticipation of Indonesia as main partner in the world's biggest
\nindustrial fair in Hannover this spring. Another significant
\nsignal for the future was given by the 25th anniversary of the
\nGerman-Indonesia Chamber of Commerce, Ekonid, which we celebrated
\nwith the former German president Richard von Weizsaecker as guest
\nspeaker, in August this year.<\/p>\n
Nothing could better accentuate the promising start to the
\nfuture than these events, which all happened in the year of
\nIndonesia's 50th anniversary of independence.<\/p>\n
Today, we look with respect at the impressive achievements
\nthat your country has reached over the last decades: years of
\ncontinuous growth and development of all fields, in a vast
\nmaritime continent, by means of a policy reflecting your motto
\n\"unity in diversity\". We especially appreciate that Indonesia, as
\na big power in Asia and a respected partner of regional
\nintegration schemes like ASEAN, AFTA, and APEC, has always
\nmaintained its traditional links with Europe.<\/p>\n
It is in this respect that I venture the hope for an even
\ndeeper cooperation of our two countries in the years to come.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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