RI to ask compensation from EU<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto yesterday asked Germany to
\nhelp resolve problems caused to Indonesian exports by the recent
\nexpansion of the European Union.<\/p>\n
Speaking in Bonn at the launching of the Indonesia-Germany
\nEconomic and Technology Cooperation Forum, Soeharto said the
\ninclusion of Austria, Finland and Sweden into the union had
\nimposed quantitative restrictions on Indonesian exports.<\/p>\n
\"As Indonesia's largest trading partner in the European Union,
\nIndonesia seeks Germany's support in resolving these problems,\"
\nsaid Soeharto, a copy of whose speech was made available to The
\nJakarta Post by the presidential office.<\/p>\n
The inclusion of the three countries since Jan.1 has forced
\nIndonesia to reduce its exports, because the EU quota has
\nremained unchanged.<\/p>\n
The president is currently on a six-day state visit to Germany
\nwhere he attended last Sunday's opening of the 1995 Hannover
\nFair. Indonesia has been selected as Germany's \"country partner\"
\nfor this year's fair.<\/p>\n
The importance of the current trip has been highlighted by the
\npresence of Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono, Minister of
\nResearch and Technology B.J. Habibie and Minister of Foreign
\nAffairs Ali Alatas.<\/p>\n
During yesterday's ceremony Soeharto said, in the presence of
\nGerman Chancellor Helmut Kohl, that the expansion of the EU
\nshould entail an expanded quota.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia feels it must ask for satisfactory compensation
\nfrom all parties, because the adjustment of the import tariffs of
\nthose three countries to the European Union's Common Tariff is
\ndetrimental to Indonesia,\" Soeharto said.<\/p>\n
Soeharto and Kohl had a one-hour meeting yesterday in which
\nthey reportedly discussed both bilateral matters and
\ninternational matters of mutual concern.<\/p>\n
In a separate meeting, Alatas expressed concern to his German
\ncounterpart, Klaus Kinkel, about the newly-implemented Schengem
\nagreement which dissolves visa requirements among the seven EU
\ncountries Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, the Netherlands,
\nPortugal and Spain.<\/p>\n
A clause in the agreement provides that any one of the seven
\ncountries can, within seven-days of an application being made,
\nveto the issuance of a visa.<\/p>\n
Alatas said that Portugal, which has no diplomatic relations
\nwith Indonesia, might hinder the movements of Indonesians wishing
\nto go to Germany.<\/p>\n
Kinkel gave assurances that Germany would prevent such a thing
\nfrom happening, Alatas said. \"Even if it does occur, Germany has
\nasserted that it would continue to issue visas on a bilateral
\nbasis,\" Alatas told reporters from the Indonesian television
\nnetwork, TVRI.<\/p>\n
Other matters discussed include the planned EU-Asia summit and
\nthe impending extension of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.<\/p>\n
During an earlier meeting between the two foreign
\nministers on Monday, Kinkel urged Indonesia to do more to
\nsafeguard human rights. However, political vexation appeared to
\nbe minimal during yesterday's meeting.<\/p>\n
\"Minister Kinkel underscored that successful economic
\ndevelopment in Indonesia must be accompanied by an improvement in
\nthe civil and human rights situation,\" read a German foreign
\nministry statement quoted by Reuters.<\/p>\n
Later yesterday evening in Dusseldorf, Soeharto attended a
\ndinner hosted by the minister president of Nordrhein Westfalen
\n(North Rhine-Westphalia), Johannes Rau.<\/p>\n
Tomorrow Soeharto will visit Dresden in eastern Germany where
\nhe will spend one day before flying to Kazakhstan. (mds)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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