TheJakartaPost
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Berlin-Jakarta: Allies in multilateralism
We were all greatly moved by the way Indonesia was hit so severely by the earthquakes and tsunami in September. On behalf of the German government and of all Germans, I would like to express our country’s heartfelt sympathy and condolences for the many victims.
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All smiles: President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (right), accompanied by his interpreter Dimas Muhammad (center), jovially opens his bilateral meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (left) on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, on July 8. (Courtesy of the Foreign Ministry/File)
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e are visiting Indonesia for economic policy talks just as this country is coping with some tough times. We were all greatly moved by the way Indonesia was hit so severely by the earthquakes and tsunami in September. On behalf of the German government and of all Germans, I would like to express our country’s heartfelt sympathy and condolences for the many victims.
Despite all the problems, Indonesia is offering its guests a warm welcome and great hospitality. It reminds us once again that our countries are linked not just by a stable partnership, but by much more: by a friendship based on shared values of democracy and mutual respect. Indonesia has become a key player within the region, and also amongst the G20 countries.
Not least, the holding of the Asian Games in Jakarta and the meeting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Bali underline the country’s international importance.
The fact that so many representatives from business, government and society in our countries are meeting at the 16th Asia-Pacific Conference (APK) in Jakarta shows how close our trade ties are. With a total of more than 1,000 participants, the APK has developed into a major platform for dialogue and cooperation between Germany and the Asia-Pacific region.
