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)