The New Indian Express 30.12.2009
‘Germany keen on tie-ups with State’
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Germany is eyeing partnerships with the State for the development of infrastructure facilities, especially in the areas of transport, ports, urban planning, sewage and waste management and solar energy, German Ambassador to India Thomas Matussek has said.
Matussek, on his first visit to the State after assuming office about six weeks ago, said at a news conference here on Tuesday that Germany was planning to increase its presence in the State substantially.
Earlier, the German Ambassador and Consul-General Rolf Saligmann held discussions with the Chief Minister and the Transport Minister.
“As part of upgrading our relations with Kerala, we have conveyed our interests to cooperate in the areas of infrastructure development in transport and ports to the Chief Minister. We have also talked to the Transport Minister regarding the upgradation of roads in the State,’’ Matussek said.
The Ambassador said that Germany would encourage small and medium-level German companies with cutting edge technology to invest in the State.
“We will advertise Kerala to the German people, as the State has grown much further than other States in the country, particularly in the fields of health, literacy and women empowerment,’’ Matussek said.
During his visit to Technopark, the Ambassador said that he would talk to the Bavarian State to consider Kerala and Technopark as potential partners to do business.
He added that he was determined to visit Kerala at least once a year to provide maximum support for the growth of Indo-German business and would try to bring Kerala into the official IT business map of Germany.
Technopark CEO Mervin Alexander and Rolf Saligmann were also present.
Matussek also distributed prizes to the winners of the inter-collegiate quiz contest on Germany conducted by the Goethe Zentrum and the Kerala University Students’ Union. Thomas Mathai and Anwin Mathew of the Government Medical College here won the first prize.
The second prize went to Ashish and Anish Sekhar of the Medical College. The consolation prizes were given to Appu S. and Anand N. of Government Engineering College, Barton Hill, and Vishnu V. and Aswathi J.Nair of Arts College.
