German alumni union studies RI industry

German alumni union studies RI industry

JAKARTA (JP): The German Alumni Association is conducting a
study on the potential of Indonesian products to identify their
competitiveness in the world market, chairman of the association
Soni Harsono said.

"The on-going study, scheduled to be ready in six months, is
being carried out by noted economists who are also members of the
association, Djisman Simandjuntak and Hadi Soesastro," Sony told
the press here yesterday at a luncheon meeting.

He added that the outcome of the study will be submitted to
government institutions and related parties as the association's
contribution to help improve Indonesian businesses.

Sony said that the association helped business people from
both Indonesia and Germany to promote bilateral trade.

According to the German Embassy's statistics, Indonesia
suffers a chronic deficit in its trade with Germany. In 1993, for
example, Indonesia suffered a trade deficit of US$289,536, which
increased to $336,556 in 1994. The trade deficit was recorded at
$222,737 in the January to May period of 1995.

Soni announced that the association will hold its second
congress at the Aryaduta hotel here on Jan. 15 and 16 to elect
new members of its board of management and to formulate its
programs.

State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie,
Minister of Forestry Djamaloedin Suryohadikusumo, German
Ambassador Heinrich Seemann and former chief of national police
Awaloedin Djamin will present their addresses at the congress.

He said the number of the German alumnae in Indonesia is
currently about 10,000, 60 percent of which are engaged in the
private sector, while the remainder works for the government,
educational institutions, the Armed Forces as well as political
and religious organizations. (kod)