195: A Normal Nation
9th September 2002:
After arriving at Tegel Airport and being welcomed by President of Germany Johannes Rau the previous mid-afternoon, President Try Sutrisno began to get down to business. At the Federal Chancellery, Try was welcomed by Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schroder. They shook hands, got their pictures taken and got to work.
Try and Schroder sat across a conference table. The Indonesian side comprised of Minister of Foreign Affairs Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister of Defense and Security Wismoyo Arismunandar, Minister of Economics and National Development Planning Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, Minister of Trade Anthony Salim, Minister of Forestry and Environment Barnabas Suebu (who joined the delegation for this leg of the trip), Minister of Tourism Soeyono, Head of BKPM Mari Pangestu, and State Secretary Edi Sudrajat.
The German side comprised of Vice Chancellor/Minister of Foreign Affairs Joshcka Fischer, Minister of Defence Peter Struck, Minister of Economics and Technology Werner Muller, Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection Renate Kunast, Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development Heidemerie Wieczorek-Zaul, and Head of the Chancellery Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Dorodjatun and Wieczorek-Zaul signed an agreement to facilitate secondment of students and teachers of vocational schools in Indonesia to Germany. Such secondments will also include internships to give practical experience.
Suebu and Anthony together with Kunast and Wieczorek-Zaul signed an agreement committing Germany and Indonesia to combat illegal logging. Indonesia will continue its present policies of bringing forest concessionaires into compliance with existing regulations and establish a certification system for legally-produced timber and timber products. Germany will provide increased market opportunities for legal timber and lobby the EU to give similar access to legal timber.
Wismoyo and Struck signed the one that attracted the most attention. 41 Leopard 2 MBTs, 50 Marder IFVs, 1 Driver Training Tank, 1 Bergepanzer Armored Recovery Vehicle, and 3 M3 Amphibious Rigs.
After the two delegations had lunch together, Schroder had to leave to campaign, an election being due in a few weeks. Try taped an interview with Deutsche Welle Television where he was asked whether, with the announcement that AFTA is back on the agenda and the purchase of Leopard MBTs Indonesia is now the regional leader in Southeast Asia. Try said whether or not Indonesia was a regional leader is for others to say, not for him. For the present, he’s just here to visit the world’s third largest economy.
That night at the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin, Try hosted an event to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Germany. Indonesians living in Germany, most notably BJ Habibie attended as did German government officials and businessmen. The most prominent guest on the German side was Rau with Schroeder spending the night out of Berlin. Together with Try, Rau delivered the night’s keynote speeches.
10th September 2002:
The morning was a military affair as Try and the ABRI delegation that had joined him visited the Bundeswehr Headquarters. At a small ceremony, Try and Schroeder watched on as Inspector General of the Bundeswehr Wolfgang Schneiderhan symbolically handed over 5 Type 206 Submarines to Commander of ABRI Wiranto. Speaking to the Indonesian press corps, Navy Chief of Staff Djoko Sumaryono explained that the submarines will depart for Indonesia at the conclusion of the current visit and that the government had continued to allocate money to pay installments to Germany to purchase the submarines.
From the Bundeswehr Headquarters, it was back to the Chancellery for talks. Try brought Ginandjar and Edi while Schroeder was accompanied by Fischer.
Schroeder saw the international scene as being defined by two issues: War On Terror as well as the New Cold War though he preferred to call the latter the Multipolar Moment. In the former, Germany had contributed troops to Afghanistan and had hosted the International Conference on Afghanistan. Schroeder however said that he was more “interested” in the latter. Schroeder said that he was in favor of Germany becoming a “normal nation” meaning a nation that has interests and will pursue its interests.
Ginandjar asked what is Germany’s stance on Yugoslavia and President Slobodan Milosevic’s regime there. Fischer said that the popular sentiment in Germany seems to be that Germany should not support whatever the United States, the United Kingdom, and its allies have in store for Yugoslavia. Schroeder said he agrees with the popular sentiment and that UN or no UN resolution, Germany does not approve.
Ginandjar mischievously said whether Schroeder was secretly in the Russian camp by taking that stance. Schroeder laughed saying that he’s had his share of trouble with the Russians namely getting them to agree to pay the Soviet Union’s debts in the Paris Club. At the same time however, Schroeder said he disapproved of the United States trying to use financial leverage against Russia to gain an economic advantage as it tried to do in earlier in the year. Schroeder said he was able to get away with disapproval because Russia has a lot of debt to Germany and the United States needed Germany’s help.
It was at this point the conversation moved to Southeast Asia. Try would later admit that of all the visits thus far, it was Schroeder that was most interested in the situation in Southeast Asia and how ASEAN was doing. Schroeder asked about the prospects of Shwe Mann and his men returning and being installed as the legitimate regime in Myanmar.
“I believe that China will come down on the side of the current regime in Myanmar if that was to happen and I have no intention in engaging China in an actual military conflict with China, Mr. Chancellor” replied Try “It is very likely that Lt. Gen. Shwe Mann and his followers are looking at an extended stay in Indonesia which is why our focus right now is to integrate them into ABRI. As for Myanmar itself, I must consider it a lost cause for the moment.”
Schroeder said that if all 10 are not possible then Indonesia must hold the remaining 9 together. Fischer asked what would it take to have the remaining 9 ASEAN nations on board with Indonesia. Ginandjar said that the preparations to propose for the resumption of AFTA is designed to begin pushing Singapore and Brunei off the fence with Cambodia due for an election in 2003 and Malaysia in 2004.
“The resumption of AFTA, elections going your way and some Leopard Battle Tanks, Mr. President” joked Schroeder.
This was a segueway to defense with Schroeder saying that the Leopards are surplus to the Bundeswehr’s requirements, that Germany is looking to reduce the amount of Leopard MBTs it has in its possession and that he’s willing to offer another batch of Leopards to Indonesia. Try said that this was something for which “internal discussions” will be needed and said half-jokingly that what’s more important in the present moment is investment from Europe to help support Indonesia’s economic growth because without economic growth Indonesia could not purchase weapons.
Schroeder segued into economics. He said that the McCain Administration’s desire to defend the IMF and wanting that the IMF policy prescriptions is implemented to the letter is not wise because it risks alienating those which do not strictly follow neoliberal economic prescriptions but which are “not exactly Bolivia’s Morales” in their economic stance either. Try agreed with this.
From economics it was back to how Indonesia was doing again. Fischer asked Try how Indonesia was doing in terms of dealing with separatists. Try said that Aceh, Irian Jaya, and East Timor are governed as Special Regions with rules that only apply to them. For the first time, more share of the revenue are going their way and genuine economic development are now being undertaken in those three provinces.
“The general populace in those three provinces accept and acknowledge what the Government has done and this has cut off the “oxygen” for the FRETILIN, the GAM, and the OPM; they can’t launch a rebellion if they don’t have any semblance of popular support”, explained Try with a smile “As those in our national security-related agencies are fond of saying: the FRETILIN, the GAM, and the OPM are dormant.”
“You’re from a region that has a lot of volcanoes” countered Fischer “You must certainly know that dormant volcanoes can become active agai…”
“…But for the moment they are not a concern, aren’t they?” asked Schroeder.
“They’re not, Mr. President”, replied Try “In addition to our present economic strength, their dormancy is why we can have more focus on foreign policy.”
Schroeder and Fischer whispered something to each other and Try felt like a job applicant in front of two interviewers.
The meeting broke up not long after. On the car ride back to the hotel, Try, Ginandjar, and Edi talked about Schroeder taking a strong interest in Indonesia’s position.
“Remember that 3 years ago, the last time we came here, I told him I would help mobilize ASEAN to vote as a bloc for the German candidate for the IMF Managing Director so it’s not an entirely novel thing for him to be interested in our part of the world”, said Try “Of course that didn’t happen. Clinton nipped it in the bud by promising me expedited exit from the IMF’s program for Indonesia if the ASEAN vote is not mobilized.”
“The question is what does he need from us for this time?” asked Edi.
Ginandjar took off his glasses, racked his brains, and remembered something. It can’t possibly for that purpose…
After lunch, Try met with the Christian Democratic Union of Germany’s (CDU) Chancellor candidate Edmund Stoiber and got the sense that Stoiber would be a pro-US German Chancellor if elected before visiting the Berlin Wall Memorial.
Dinner was with the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Try delivered the keynote address in which he proclaimed affinity with Germany. Germany is an economic power, the third largest in the world, which is now beginning to assert itself and make its voice heard on the world stage. Indonesia, though nowhere near the economic power Germany is, has undergone three and a half decades of economic development, and is now also seeking to assert itself and make its voice heard.
11th September 2002:
After farewell calls to Schroeder and then Rau, Try went to Tegel Airport and departed for his next destination. Of the ABRI delegation which Try met in Germany, Wiranto, officers from the ABRI Headquarters, and officers from the Air Force will join him for the next part of the trip. The rest had a separate itinerary to go to.
On the plane he assembled Ginandjar, Wismoyo, Dorodjatun, Wiranto, Edi to discuss the latest happenings from Southeast Asia.
Ginandjar reported good news. In the last few days, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, and Vietnam all expressed support for Indonesia making a proposal for the resumption of AFTA at the ASEAN Summit. Following their lead, Singapore and Brunei had issued a joint statement calling for Cambodia as the ASEAN Summit’s Chair to put this matter on the agenda.
“Ha! They got off the fence” Edi was heard to say.
“For the moment only on this issue”, replied Try cautiously “Let’s hope this causes a domino effect and they’ll get off the fence on other issues too.”
Ginandjar further reported that Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen has been stalling on deciding whether or not the ASEAN Summit will discuss the possible resumption of AFTA. As a consequence he has come under domestic pressure by President of the National Assembly Norodom Ranariddh who urged Hun Sen to do what was “right for Cambodia and for ASEAN”.
"Ranariddh will challenge Hun Sen for the prime ministership at the election next year, right?" asked Try.
"Yes, Mr. President", replied Ginandjar.
There was cynical laughter when Ginandjar spoke of Malaysia’s reaction; Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak saying that Indonesia was trying to intimidate the region into accepting its AFTA related proposals by purchasing Leopard MBTs and returning from Germany with 5 submarines.
“Let’s see where these developments leads to”, said Try “We’re doing the right thing by proposing to move things forward with AFTA, we can’t allow the division between the Jakarta Bloc, the Kuala Lumpur Bloc…is that what they’re calling it?... and the neutrals to solidify. If these divisions solidify, ASEAN will not work.”
The good mood was cut short when Australia’s reaction was discussed. While Prime Minister of Australia Peter Costello said that Indonesia has asserted its right to strengthen its military, Australian Minister for Defense Peter Reith said that this means Australia will also need to build up its military capacity.
“I don’t get the part where we have a security agreement with these guys but they go out and make such statements instead of talking about things with us”, said Try “I thought that was the point of the treaty President Soeharto signed.”
“Let’s not get baited, Mr. President”, said Edi urging Try to calm down.
Try massaged his head. He distracted himself by talking to Wismoyo and Wiranto about how with the Army having now purchased Leopards and Marders and the Navy having gone home with 5 submarines, that they needed to think about what they can get for the Air Force. This seemed to calm him down and provided enough distraction until…
“Mr. President and other passengers, this is your captain speaking, just wanted to remind you now to fasten your seatbelts again” announced the pilot “We have now begun our descent into Moscow…”
---
OTL Schroeder was advocating a more assertive foreign policy for Germany (https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1999-09-12-9909120181-story.html) so I am imagining that ITTL, with the New Cold War/Multipolar moment, Schroeder’s sees more opportunities to advance Germany’s cause is even stronger.
Unlike Juppe, Schroeder will lean in Russia’s direction as opposed to taking a “non-aligned” stand. This is an echo of his OTL attitude towards Russia.
The Type 206 Submarines was another case of something having to be scrapped by the Asian Financial Crisis. https://www.indomiliter.com/ks-type-206-nyaris-jadi-arsenal-korps-hiu-kencana-tni-al/
For the last occasion that Try visited Germany, check out https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...ry-sutrisno-1997.425151/page-12#post-18984207 Glad to say I've kept things consistent. Schroeder wanting a more assertive foreign policy got Try thinking in that chapter about his own foreign policy and things come full circle with Try saying in this visit that he identifies Indonesia wanting to be more assertive with Germany wanting to be more assertive.
Much as in OTL, Schroeder is running for re-election and riding an anti-American wave.
Imagine how much of an impact it would be in the region that Indonesia announced that it wants to put AFTA back on the agenda and then 48 hours later it was announced that it's buying MBTs and had 5 submarines handed over to it.
After arriving at Tegel Airport and being welcomed by President of Germany Johannes Rau the previous mid-afternoon, President Try Sutrisno began to get down to business. At the Federal Chancellery, Try was welcomed by Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schroder. They shook hands, got their pictures taken and got to work.
Try and Schroder sat across a conference table. The Indonesian side comprised of Minister of Foreign Affairs Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister of Defense and Security Wismoyo Arismunandar, Minister of Economics and National Development Planning Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, Minister of Trade Anthony Salim, Minister of Forestry and Environment Barnabas Suebu (who joined the delegation for this leg of the trip), Minister of Tourism Soeyono, Head of BKPM Mari Pangestu, and State Secretary Edi Sudrajat.
The German side comprised of Vice Chancellor/Minister of Foreign Affairs Joshcka Fischer, Minister of Defence Peter Struck, Minister of Economics and Technology Werner Muller, Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection Renate Kunast, Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development Heidemerie Wieczorek-Zaul, and Head of the Chancellery Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Dorodjatun and Wieczorek-Zaul signed an agreement to facilitate secondment of students and teachers of vocational schools in Indonesia to Germany. Such secondments will also include internships to give practical experience.
Suebu and Anthony together with Kunast and Wieczorek-Zaul signed an agreement committing Germany and Indonesia to combat illegal logging. Indonesia will continue its present policies of bringing forest concessionaires into compliance with existing regulations and establish a certification system for legally-produced timber and timber products. Germany will provide increased market opportunities for legal timber and lobby the EU to give similar access to legal timber.
Wismoyo and Struck signed the one that attracted the most attention. 41 Leopard 2 MBTs, 50 Marder IFVs, 1 Driver Training Tank, 1 Bergepanzer Armored Recovery Vehicle, and 3 M3 Amphibious Rigs.
After the two delegations had lunch together, Schroder had to leave to campaign, an election being due in a few weeks. Try taped an interview with Deutsche Welle Television where he was asked whether, with the announcement that AFTA is back on the agenda and the purchase of Leopard MBTs Indonesia is now the regional leader in Southeast Asia. Try said whether or not Indonesia was a regional leader is for others to say, not for him. For the present, he’s just here to visit the world’s third largest economy.
That night at the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin, Try hosted an event to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Germany. Indonesians living in Germany, most notably BJ Habibie attended as did German government officials and businessmen. The most prominent guest on the German side was Rau with Schroeder spending the night out of Berlin. Together with Try, Rau delivered the night’s keynote speeches.
10th September 2002:
The morning was a military affair as Try and the ABRI delegation that had joined him visited the Bundeswehr Headquarters. At a small ceremony, Try and Schroeder watched on as Inspector General of the Bundeswehr Wolfgang Schneiderhan symbolically handed over 5 Type 206 Submarines to Commander of ABRI Wiranto. Speaking to the Indonesian press corps, Navy Chief of Staff Djoko Sumaryono explained that the submarines will depart for Indonesia at the conclusion of the current visit and that the government had continued to allocate money to pay installments to Germany to purchase the submarines.
From the Bundeswehr Headquarters, it was back to the Chancellery for talks. Try brought Ginandjar and Edi while Schroeder was accompanied by Fischer.
Schroeder saw the international scene as being defined by two issues: War On Terror as well as the New Cold War though he preferred to call the latter the Multipolar Moment. In the former, Germany had contributed troops to Afghanistan and had hosted the International Conference on Afghanistan. Schroeder however said that he was more “interested” in the latter. Schroeder said that he was in favor of Germany becoming a “normal nation” meaning a nation that has interests and will pursue its interests.
Ginandjar asked what is Germany’s stance on Yugoslavia and President Slobodan Milosevic’s regime there. Fischer said that the popular sentiment in Germany seems to be that Germany should not support whatever the United States, the United Kingdom, and its allies have in store for Yugoslavia. Schroeder said he agrees with the popular sentiment and that UN or no UN resolution, Germany does not approve.
Ginandjar mischievously said whether Schroeder was secretly in the Russian camp by taking that stance. Schroeder laughed saying that he’s had his share of trouble with the Russians namely getting them to agree to pay the Soviet Union’s debts in the Paris Club. At the same time however, Schroeder said he disapproved of the United States trying to use financial leverage against Russia to gain an economic advantage as it tried to do in earlier in the year. Schroeder said he was able to get away with disapproval because Russia has a lot of debt to Germany and the United States needed Germany’s help.
It was at this point the conversation moved to Southeast Asia. Try would later admit that of all the visits thus far, it was Schroeder that was most interested in the situation in Southeast Asia and how ASEAN was doing. Schroeder asked about the prospects of Shwe Mann and his men returning and being installed as the legitimate regime in Myanmar.
“I believe that China will come down on the side of the current regime in Myanmar if that was to happen and I have no intention in engaging China in an actual military conflict with China, Mr. Chancellor” replied Try “It is very likely that Lt. Gen. Shwe Mann and his followers are looking at an extended stay in Indonesia which is why our focus right now is to integrate them into ABRI. As for Myanmar itself, I must consider it a lost cause for the moment.”
Schroeder said that if all 10 are not possible then Indonesia must hold the remaining 9 together. Fischer asked what would it take to have the remaining 9 ASEAN nations on board with Indonesia. Ginandjar said that the preparations to propose for the resumption of AFTA is designed to begin pushing Singapore and Brunei off the fence with Cambodia due for an election in 2003 and Malaysia in 2004.
“The resumption of AFTA, elections going your way and some Leopard Battle Tanks, Mr. President” joked Schroeder.
This was a segueway to defense with Schroeder saying that the Leopards are surplus to the Bundeswehr’s requirements, that Germany is looking to reduce the amount of Leopard MBTs it has in its possession and that he’s willing to offer another batch of Leopards to Indonesia. Try said that this was something for which “internal discussions” will be needed and said half-jokingly that what’s more important in the present moment is investment from Europe to help support Indonesia’s economic growth because without economic growth Indonesia could not purchase weapons.
Schroeder segued into economics. He said that the McCain Administration’s desire to defend the IMF and wanting that the IMF policy prescriptions is implemented to the letter is not wise because it risks alienating those which do not strictly follow neoliberal economic prescriptions but which are “not exactly Bolivia’s Morales” in their economic stance either. Try agreed with this.
From economics it was back to how Indonesia was doing again. Fischer asked Try how Indonesia was doing in terms of dealing with separatists. Try said that Aceh, Irian Jaya, and East Timor are governed as Special Regions with rules that only apply to them. For the first time, more share of the revenue are going their way and genuine economic development are now being undertaken in those three provinces.
“The general populace in those three provinces accept and acknowledge what the Government has done and this has cut off the “oxygen” for the FRETILIN, the GAM, and the OPM; they can’t launch a rebellion if they don’t have any semblance of popular support”, explained Try with a smile “As those in our national security-related agencies are fond of saying: the FRETILIN, the GAM, and the OPM are dormant.”
“You’re from a region that has a lot of volcanoes” countered Fischer “You must certainly know that dormant volcanoes can become active agai…”
“…But for the moment they are not a concern, aren’t they?” asked Schroeder.
“They’re not, Mr. President”, replied Try “In addition to our present economic strength, their dormancy is why we can have more focus on foreign policy.”
Schroeder and Fischer whispered something to each other and Try felt like a job applicant in front of two interviewers.
The meeting broke up not long after. On the car ride back to the hotel, Try, Ginandjar, and Edi talked about Schroeder taking a strong interest in Indonesia’s position.
“Remember that 3 years ago, the last time we came here, I told him I would help mobilize ASEAN to vote as a bloc for the German candidate for the IMF Managing Director so it’s not an entirely novel thing for him to be interested in our part of the world”, said Try “Of course that didn’t happen. Clinton nipped it in the bud by promising me expedited exit from the IMF’s program for Indonesia if the ASEAN vote is not mobilized.”
“The question is what does he need from us for this time?” asked Edi.
Ginandjar took off his glasses, racked his brains, and remembered something. It can’t possibly for that purpose…
After lunch, Try met with the Christian Democratic Union of Germany’s (CDU) Chancellor candidate Edmund Stoiber and got the sense that Stoiber would be a pro-US German Chancellor if elected before visiting the Berlin Wall Memorial.
Dinner was with the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Try delivered the keynote address in which he proclaimed affinity with Germany. Germany is an economic power, the third largest in the world, which is now beginning to assert itself and make its voice heard on the world stage. Indonesia, though nowhere near the economic power Germany is, has undergone three and a half decades of economic development, and is now also seeking to assert itself and make its voice heard.
11th September 2002:
After farewell calls to Schroeder and then Rau, Try went to Tegel Airport and departed for his next destination. Of the ABRI delegation which Try met in Germany, Wiranto, officers from the ABRI Headquarters, and officers from the Air Force will join him for the next part of the trip. The rest had a separate itinerary to go to.
On the plane he assembled Ginandjar, Wismoyo, Dorodjatun, Wiranto, Edi to discuss the latest happenings from Southeast Asia.
Ginandjar reported good news. In the last few days, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, and Vietnam all expressed support for Indonesia making a proposal for the resumption of AFTA at the ASEAN Summit. Following their lead, Singapore and Brunei had issued a joint statement calling for Cambodia as the ASEAN Summit’s Chair to put this matter on the agenda.
“Ha! They got off the fence” Edi was heard to say.
“For the moment only on this issue”, replied Try cautiously “Let’s hope this causes a domino effect and they’ll get off the fence on other issues too.”
Ginandjar further reported that Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen has been stalling on deciding whether or not the ASEAN Summit will discuss the possible resumption of AFTA. As a consequence he has come under domestic pressure by President of the National Assembly Norodom Ranariddh who urged Hun Sen to do what was “right for Cambodia and for ASEAN”.
"Ranariddh will challenge Hun Sen for the prime ministership at the election next year, right?" asked Try.
"Yes, Mr. President", replied Ginandjar.
There was cynical laughter when Ginandjar spoke of Malaysia’s reaction; Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak saying that Indonesia was trying to intimidate the region into accepting its AFTA related proposals by purchasing Leopard MBTs and returning from Germany with 5 submarines.
“Let’s see where these developments leads to”, said Try “We’re doing the right thing by proposing to move things forward with AFTA, we can’t allow the division between the Jakarta Bloc, the Kuala Lumpur Bloc…is that what they’re calling it?... and the neutrals to solidify. If these divisions solidify, ASEAN will not work.”
The good mood was cut short when Australia’s reaction was discussed. While Prime Minister of Australia Peter Costello said that Indonesia has asserted its right to strengthen its military, Australian Minister for Defense Peter Reith said that this means Australia will also need to build up its military capacity.
“I don’t get the part where we have a security agreement with these guys but they go out and make such statements instead of talking about things with us”, said Try “I thought that was the point of the treaty President Soeharto signed.”
“Let’s not get baited, Mr. President”, said Edi urging Try to calm down.
Try massaged his head. He distracted himself by talking to Wismoyo and Wiranto about how with the Army having now purchased Leopards and Marders and the Navy having gone home with 5 submarines, that they needed to think about what they can get for the Air Force. This seemed to calm him down and provided enough distraction until…
“Mr. President and other passengers, this is your captain speaking, just wanted to remind you now to fasten your seatbelts again” announced the pilot “We have now begun our descent into Moscow…”
---
OTL Schroeder was advocating a more assertive foreign policy for Germany (https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1999-09-12-9909120181-story.html) so I am imagining that ITTL, with the New Cold War/Multipolar moment, Schroeder’s sees more opportunities to advance Germany’s cause is even stronger.
Unlike Juppe, Schroeder will lean in Russia’s direction as opposed to taking a “non-aligned” stand. This is an echo of his OTL attitude towards Russia.
The Type 206 Submarines was another case of something having to be scrapped by the Asian Financial Crisis. https://www.indomiliter.com/ks-type-206-nyaris-jadi-arsenal-korps-hiu-kencana-tni-al/
For the last occasion that Try visited Germany, check out https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...ry-sutrisno-1997.425151/page-12#post-18984207 Glad to say I've kept things consistent. Schroeder wanting a more assertive foreign policy got Try thinking in that chapter about his own foreign policy and things come full circle with Try saying in this visit that he identifies Indonesia wanting to be more assertive with Germany wanting to be more assertive.
Much as in OTL, Schroeder is running for re-election and riding an anti-American wave.
Imagine how much of an impact it would be in the region that Indonesia announced that it wants to put AFTA back on the agenda and then 48 hours later it was announced that it's buying MBTs and had 5 submarines handed over to it.
