Welcome Herr Schroeder
Welcome Herr Schroeder
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder arrives in Indonesia
tonight (Tuesday) as part of his four-nation tour of Southeast
Asian countries to boost political and trade ties with the
region.
His visit to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam, four
of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN), reinforces Germany's "Concept on Asia" policy which aims
at forging closer ties in all spheres with Asia, particularly
ASEAN. It also hints that Germany is prepared to play a greater
role in Asia as well as face the challenge of greater
international responsibility following its strained relations
with fellow European Union members and, especially the United
States, as a result of differences over the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
But the importance of Schroeder's visit to Jakarta, the first
ever made by a German leader following the fall of Soeharto's
authoritarian government in 1998, is that he comes at a time when
a more democratic Indonesia under President Megawati
Soekarnoputri is in dire need of foreign investment to quicken
the country's sluggish economic recovery as well as to gain
Germany's technological assistance so that Indonesia can keep
abreast of the rapid development in information technology and
global changes.
Germany has great potential in both areas, and although a
large number of German companies have operated in Indonesia --
such as Siemens and Reimelt in helping build the Indonesian
telecommunications network and food processing industry, not to
mention the assembly plants of luxury cars like Mercedes Benz and
BMW -- there are still many more business opportunities and
fields of cooperation that the two countries could undertake.
The Indonesian government and businesspeople, understandably,
should not miss the opportunity to convince their counterparts
from Germany about the possible but realistic ventures that could
benefit both sides and create more job openings here in order to
improve the prosperity of the people.
Besides, issues such as growing threats of terrorism in the
region and increasing international drug and human trafficking
can also be added to the list of issues needing bilateral
cooperation.
Indonesians have long known Germany and its quality products
and millions of them have also praised Chancellor Schroeder's
wise policy in banning the right-wing anti-immigrant National
Democratic Party in 2000 -- blamed for a spate of racist attacks
then -- his public opposition against the Iraq war, as well as
his tax cut policy and efforts to reduce unemployment in Germany.
Those measures clearly reflect Schroeder's humanitarian
concerns and they have won not only the hearts of the Indonesian
people, but also millions of others worldwide.
Herzlich Willkomen Herr Schroeder