Envoy candidates

Envoy candidates

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly protests the
publication of a report titled Golkar, PKB offered ambassadorial
posts by The Jakarta Post on Thursday, Sept. 11, page 2.

It is particularly very disappointing that a well-respected newspaper
such as the Post has once again disregarded the principal of
confidentiality in the whole process of ambassadorial
candidature. This is a principle which is applicable not only in
Indonesia, but is in fact a well established practice under
international customary law.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a letter dated Feb. 28,
had reminded the Post about its responsibility to respect and
maintain the confidentiality of the process.

This subject should not be taken lightly. The ministry is
prepared to take the necessary legal action, as provided for by
law, should this type of irresponsible reporting be published
again.

UMAR HADI

Media Relations

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Note:

The bargaining process between the government of a particular
country and political parties in appointing party officials as
head of diplomatic missions abroad is a well established practice
in a number of democratic countries. In the United States, for
instance, either party that achieves electoral victory tends to
allocate ambassadorial postings to persons who are considered as
instrumental in the party's political victory.

In today's Indonesia, political considerations of a different
nature apparently are being applied to allocate ambassadorial
postings to some parties.

We fail to understand why such well established political
practices are subject to "international customary law".

However, we do appreciate the compliment referring to the Post
as "a well respected newspaper". -- Ed.