Draft bill to codify foreign affairs submitted
Draft bill to codify foreign affairs submitted
JAKARTA (JP): A draft bill to codify Indonesia's foreign
affairs was submitted here on Tuesday to the House of
Representatives for deliberation.
"With the law, it is hoped that our foreign affairs will be
more efficient, directed and coordinated," Minister of Foreign
Affairs Ali Alatas told the House's plenary session presided over
by Deputy House Speaker Hari Sabarno.
The law also is aimed at protecting the interests of
Indonesian citizens and corporate bodies abroad, Alatas said in
an opening statement for the bill's deliberation.
"The law will only regulate basic matters," he added.
The draft law consists of 41 articles, eight of which deal
with the core issues of regulating foreign affairs.
Points of the bill to be debated by members of the House
include the following:
* the appointment of officials assigned to administer foreign
affairs; the opening and closing of diplomatic or consular posts
in foreign countries; Indonesia's entrance and departure from
international bodies; the sending of troop on peacekeeping
missions abroad; procedures for the establishment of cultural
centers abroad or foreign cultural centers in Indonesia (these
points will be in chapter two of the bill).
* the formulation and ratification of international agreements
which are binding to Indonesia (chapter three).
* the awarding of diplomatic immunity and other rights to foreign
diplomatic representatives, United Nations representatives,
members of UN special bodies and other international bodies
(chapter four).
* the government's duty to protect the interests of Indonesian
citizens and corporate bodies abroad; the duty of Indonesian
diplomatic representatives abroad to foster unity and harmony
among Indonesians abroad as well as giving protection to
Indonesians abroad who are in danger; the duty of diplomatic
representatives abroad in charge of administrative affairs,
including marriages, divorces, births and deaths (chapter five).
* the procedures for granting asylum (chapter six).
* the apparatus of the foreign affairs ministry; for example, the
duties of authorities in conducting foreign affairs (chapter
seven).
* the giving and acceptance of letters of credential (chapter
eight).
Meanwhile, at the foreign affairs ministry on Tuesday, a new
spokesman was sworn in. Sulaiman Abdulmanan replaces Ghaffar
Fadyl as the director for information affairs.
In the 1970s, Abdulmanan worked as the foreign affairs editor
for Antara news agency.
He received his masters in political science from Ohio State
University in 1979. A father of four, Abdulmanan's earlier
foreign assignments included stints as director of information
affairs at Indonesian embassies in Tehran, Brussels and Paris.
(aan)