Envoys lineup may be reshuffled

Envoys lineup may be reshuffled

JAKARTA: Legislators will likely recommend that President
Megawati Soekarnoputri review the lineup of ambassadorial
candidates and their respective country of destination she had
submitted to the House of Representatives (DPR) for approval.

In the third day of the selection hearings on Thursday, some
legislators said the reshuffling would help each country get more
suitable envoys.

Five candidates grilled by the House's foreign affairs
commission were A. Nawawi Hasbi, Mochamad S. Hidayat, Faisal
Bafadal, Sudarso, and Susanto Pudjomartono.

"There is the possibility of shifting the ambassadorial
candidates. The more problematic places should be handled by
tougher ambassadors," legislator Imam Addaruqutni of the Reform
faction said.

Fellow legislator Permadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction added the shift might be
taken to improve relations with foreign countries. - JP