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PRESSPRESS RELEASE

No. 15/PR/II/2005

Visit of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Vice Chancellor
of the Republic of Germany to Aceh,
February 11, 2005

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, His Excellency Mr. Joschka Fischer, and his entourage, which comprises several members of German Parliament, will pay a short visit to Aceh on Friday, February 11, 2005. During the visit, Minister Fischer is planned to have a meeting with Coordinating Minister of People Welfare of the Republic of Indonesia, His Excellency Dr. Alwi Shihab. Minister Fischer is also scheduled to have a tour around the Tsunami-devastated area, and visit the mobile military hospital of the German Federal Armed Forces and the drinking water purification installation of the German Federal Agency for Relief (THW).

Minister Shihab and Minister Fischer will mainly discuss post-Tsunami bilateral cooperation, including the German emergency assistance to the Tsunami-affected areas as well as future cooperation for Aceh’s reconstruction.

The Federal Government of Germany has made available as much as 500 million euros (around 661 million US Dollars) to assist all countries affected by the Tsunami during emergency and reconstruction stages for three to five years. The precise amount to be allocated for Indonesia has yet to be announced. During emergency stage, the German Federal Armed Forces dispatched “BERLIN” supply ship to act as floating hospital and employed 60 personnel to build a mobile military hospital around Zainul Abidin Hospital while the THW sent 50 technicians to install the water purifying system in the waterworks of Aceh and Seulimun.

Meanwhile, both Governments are now in the process of discussing the possibility of new debt swap, in addition to two previous debt swaps, and cooperation on Tsunami early warning system.

Jakarta, 11February 2005

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