Arizal gets Jakarta posting

Arizal gets Jakarta posting

JAKARTA (JP): Foreign minister Alwi Shihab will install
outgoing Indonesian ambassador to Australia Arizal Effendi as the
ministry's new secretary general on Friday.

Arizal, a career diplomat who held the ambassadorial post for
just 11 months, will replace Rahardjo Jamtomo, M. Wahid Supriyadi
a media relations staff at the ministry, told The Jakarta Post on
Tuesday.

Alwi told the Post recently that Rahardjo had been given a new
diplomatic assignment as the Indonesian ambassador to Germany.

Many considered Arizal successful in mending the ties between
Indonesia and Australia which have deteriorated in the wake of
last year's ballot in East Timor.

During his short stint in Canberra, bilateral relations
between the two countries, particularly in the field of economics
and trade had reportedly improved.

The post left by Arizal will remain vacant until the foreign
ministry names his replacement.

Alwi has expressed his interest in appointing former defense
minister Juwono Sudarsono for the top diplomatic post in
Canberra.

Alwi has also named the current Indonesian permanent
representative to the United Nations Makarim Wibisono the new
director general of foreign economic relations (HELN), but Wahid
said the date for Makarim's induction remained unknown.

Makarim's deputy Makmur Widodo will fill the post in New York.

The reshuffle is part of internal restructuring within the
ministry, which will also see the establishment of an advisory
team who will help the ministry improve the quality of Indonesian
ambassadors.

Alwi said the team, comprising three senior officials, will
screen ambassadorial candidates. (dja)