| I once again came to the German hamlet of Asia. | | | | There are misunderstandings over even the UN |
| I was invited by Dietmar Doering for the AGSEP's | | | | Peace Keeping Forces, though they are under |
| largest get-together at the discotheque and this | | | | multilateral decisions and their operations were |
| time with a difference. | | | | executed by the UN Secretariat and its chief |
| My visit to Aquarius this time was many-faceted. | | | | independently. But the misunderstanding over the |
| I was supposed to meet Gunder Wagnar, a | | | | IPKF in Sri Lanka led both confronting forces join |
| director of the International Institute of Ratings | | | | together to pull out the Indian Forces under the |
| and Consultancy. Gunder Wagnar served the then | | | | Peace-keeping flag. |
| East German Air Force as an officer and later | | | | After a lengthy discussion with Gunther Wagner, I |
| started his entrepreneurial activities in the field of | | | | left to have a small nap. The discussion with |
| insurance. Pascal said he played a key role in | | | | Gunther Wagner kept recurring, especially the |
| insurance for Munich. Latter he directed his | | | | issues on greater European Union and the United |
| interest on the assignment of surveying the | | | | States and the future of world peace and |
| tsunami disaster which paved the way for | | | | harmony in the coming centuries. It is a truism |
| concentrating on the activities of the IIRC. | | | | that all major world wars started over minor or |
| While I was entering Dietmar Doering's room, I | | | | even unrelated issues. Hostility on many issues |
| saw a well-built person and I guessed he was | | | | such as economic and military superiority went to |
| Gunder Wagner. I introduced myself. Gunder | | | | create another cold war between the major |
| Wagner was surprised and asked me whether I | | | | economic blocs by aligning with some of the Asian |
| was the one who wrote those articles. I had sent | | | | and Latin American economic blocs. |
| some of my articles which appeared in the local | | | | After the tsunami disaster, I was extra cautious |
| newspapers, the 'Ultimate Peace or War Again' | | | | with the sea, though I could swim fairly well. The |
| and 'The Messed Paradise' where I had discussed | | | | sea has more density than tank water, but the |
| local politics and international affairs. | | | | waves are always turbulent. I enjoyed sea |
| Later we both went to our usual meeting place, | | | | swimming at the Mount Lavinia beach on the |
| the restaurant of Aquarius Hotel. While talking I | | | | western coast of the island, which is famous since |
| sensed his disappointment with the US | | | | Dutch times. Maritsha was telling some jokes and |
| Administration of the present and past over | | | | Stefani, Romy and other Praktikum (Internship) |
| several issues. | | | | students were laughing all the time. I was laughing |
| He is a less-talk and think-more person like his | | | | without knowing what the jokes were all about. |
| daughter Fredrike and left me to talk more and | | | | But one knows that laughter is infectious. |
| listened patiently and carefully all the time. His | | | | Romy spoke once in a way in English and in |
| analytical and fact-finding mind kept the flow of | | | | return I told Maritsha seemed a good joker. I met |
| information within him. | | | | Maritsha at dinner yesterday. I never met or |
| After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the | | | | spoke to her, but gazed at her contemplative |
| end of the cold war, the Russian troops had been | | | | expression while she was having her meals. But |
| completely withdrawn and Russian influence in | | | | now looking at her in swim suit and the hectic |
| Germany was a forgotten matter, but the | | | | joking, I thought was work-hard and play-well |
| American bases were still occupying German | | | | type of character. My guess was confirmed in a |
| territory under various acts or NATO | | | | few minutes. |
| agreements, giving the impression that Americans | | | | She was a good belly-dancer also, and she was |
| are aggressive and intruders. | | | | dancing marvellously for a while. The ocean's |
| A similar was felt some time back in Japan after | | | | roaring sound gave good music and melody to her |
| some incidents where US soldiers from the US | | | | dancing and the beach-sand stage with the |
| base in Japan misbehaved with some Japanese | | | | surrounding greeneries of coconut trees made it a |
| girls. There are generally suspicions on countries | | | | fascinating time for all of us. |
| which have military bases in other countries. | | | | |