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)