Soeharto, Herzog vow to help make UN strong
Soeharto, Herzog vow to help make UN strong
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto said yesterday that both
Indonesia and Germany can play an important role in strengthening
the role of the United Nations.
"I believe that Indonesia and Germany can both help each other
in restructuring and revitalizing the United Nations," Soeharto
said during a luncheon hosted by German President Roman Herzog in
Bonn.
Soeharto said that the two countries were both called upon to
play an increasingly active role in maintaining global peace and
order.
Indonesia is currently serving a two-year term as a non-
permanent member of the UN Security Council and has lead a push
to restructure the UN body.
It has in the past declared its general support for the
inclusion of Germany and Japan as permanent members in an
expanded Council.
President Soeharto is currently on a six-day working visit in
Germany, during which he attended the opening of the 1995
Hannover Fair last Sunday.
He is accompanied by a large entourage which includes no less
than five-cabinet ministers, including Minister/State Secretary
Moerdiono, Minister of Trade Satrio Budiardjo Joedono, State
Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie and Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas.
Speaking at the Villa Hammer-Schmidt presidential palace,
Soeharto welcomed as important the support Germany has given in
promoting North-South dialog.
He commended Germany's policy in focussing on economic
relations with Asian countries, saying economic relations are an
important foundation for the building of bilateral ties.
"I see this new policy as giving an even stronger foundation
to the developing cooperation which has already been running
well," he said.
Earlier yesterday morning, Soeharto opened two Indonesian
pavilions at the Hannover Fair.
As Germany's "country partner" for the trade fair, the
Indonesian pavilions, called "Progress in Harmony", occupy the
largest space at the Fair and house representatives of 54 private
and 14 state-owned companies.
Indonesia is the third Asian country to be chosen since the
fair began selecting country partners in 1980. The Hannover Fair
itself, now the biggest trade fair of its kind, was first held in
1947.
Some 800,000 visitors are expected to attend the Fair, known
locally as "Hannover Messe 1995."
Also present at the opening of the Indonesian pavilion was
German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.
After modestly opening the pavilion by three-strikes of the
gong, Soeharto lead a chorus of Selamat Ulang Tahun (Happy
Birthday) to a very surprised German Chancellor, who was
celebrating his birthday.
"My wife and I along with all the Indonesian community wish
Your Excellency a happy 65th birthday," Soeharto said.
In response to the gesture, Kohl recalled how he first met
Soeharto in 1972 and said that both countries wanted to move
forward into the future together so that the distance between the
two countries would no longer be significant.
As a final present, Soeharto handed Kohl a framed portrait of
the Chancellor.
After the opening, Soeharto toured the pavilion grounds and
witnessed the signing of several contracts between German and
Indonesian firms.
Among the agreements signed was a five-year US$10 million
joint venture investment between PT Great River Industries and
van Laack Gmbh.
PT Jawa Power, whose biggest shareholder is German company
Siemens, signed a $1.6 million deal with Indonesia's state-owned
electricity company PT PLN to construct and operate the Paiton 2
coal-fired powered plant in East Java.
Another German company, Deutsche Telekom-DeTeMobil signed an
agreement for the inclusion of its capital investment into
Indonesian telecommunications company PT Satelindo.
The role of the private sector is an important feature of
Indonesia's participation in the Fair. As quoted by Antara
Minister Habibie said on Saturday that the government did not
have to fund the construction of the Indonesian pavilion at the
Fair.
He said the funds were provided by the private sector and that
the government only had to facilitate by providing services
through its embassy or consulate in Germany.
Some of Indonesia's top businessmen, such as Jakob Oetama,
Prayogo Pangestu and timber tycoon Mohamad Hasan are in Hannover
to participate in the Fair.
This morning, Soeharto is scheduled to receive a visit from
German foreign minister Klaus Kinkel which will be followed by
bilateral talks with Chancellor Kohl. (mds)