Foreign affairs ministry undergoes reshuffle

Foreign affairs ministry undergoes reshuffle

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is undergoing a
quiet reshuffle of its top echelon with a signatory of the recent
Aceh accord, Hassan Wirajuda, replacing senior diplomat Nugroho
Wisnumurti as Director General for Political Affairs.

Nugroho, who once served as Indonesia's ambassador to the
United Nations in New York, handed over his post on Tuesday.

Unlike other hand over proceedings, there was no official
public announcement.

Several foreign ministry officials refused to go on record
about the reshuffle but sources told The Jakarta Post that
Nugroho was replaced because he had reached his retirement
period.

Sources said Nugroho may switch places with Hassan, who is
currently Indonesia's representative to the UN in Geneva. Until
Hassan returns home, Nugroho's post is filled by his juniors at
the directorate.

Hassan is known as a proficient diplomat. His name came to the
fore during his work in Indonesia's mediation efforts to end
conflicts in the southern Philippines and lately as Jakarta's
representative in the signing of the Joint Understanding of
Humanitarian Pause with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Another change expected is the appointment of Makarim
Wibisono, Indonesia's representative to the UN in New York, as
Director General for Foreign Economic Relations, replacing Johan
Syahperi.

Johan is slated, according to ministry sources, to become
ambassador to Singapore, replacing Lt. Gen. (ret) Luhut
Panjaitan, who is now Minister of Industry and Trade.

The hand over of Johan to Makarim is not expected for another
two or three months.

It is not known whether a candidate has been nominated to the
important post at the UN in New York once it is vacated.

Earlier this month, Witjaksana Soegarda handed over his post
as Director General for ASEAN Cooperation to ad interim
replacement Adian Silalahi, head of the ministry's research and
development center.

Witjaksana is due to take up his post as ambassador to
Denmark.

Director General for Foreign Culture, Social and Information
Relations Abdul Ghani has also vacated his post due to
retirement. No replacement has been named to this post which is
usually reserved for military officers.

Sources said that the discreet hand overs were probably
conducted because, due to administrative delays, the presidential
decrees had not yet been issued.(dja)