Councilors on trip to Berlin

Councilors on trip to Berlin

JAKARTA (JP): Nine members of the City Council's Commission D
for development affairs are on a four-day study trip to Berlin,
Germany.

Head of the commission, Lukman F. Mokoginta, said their
observations specifically include public transport, city
economics and drinking water management.

"The visit is a follow-up to a sister city agreement between
Jakarta and Berlin on April 13, 1994," Lukman said in a quote by
Antara new agency on Tuesday.

Paris and London are also on the councilors' itinerary.

Lukman said what was interesting was how people of the former
two Germanys were being united by "loving" their capital. Berlin,
formerly divided into West and East Berlin, is now the capital of
the Federal Republic of Germany.

He said the unification of the city involved bringing together
different social groups and differences in city management such
as in housing, transportation, drinking water and waste
management.

"Efforts in overcoming undesired results of the union of the
two Berlins...could be comparative material in building Jakarta,"
Antara reported.

Jakarta's community also has a wide diversity in culture,
Lukman said.

"We also have vulnerable areas that need the right approach to
unify our community," Lukman was quoted as saying.

Councilors have also been scheduled to visit an ongoing
exhibition of Berlin in the year 2000. (anr)