Gus Dur, NU to discuss presidency

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid will attend a gathering of prominent Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) clerics here on Wednesday to set criteria for eligible presidential candidates.

Gus Dur, the chief patron of the National Awakening Party (PKB), will attend as an observer of the meeting, to be held at Komarul Huda Islamic boarding school in Central Lombok regency, head of NU's East Nusa Tenggara chapter's lawmaking body Taqiudin Mansyur said on Tuesday.

Taqiudin said 41 clerics had been invited to the meeting, which will take place behind closed doors. The clerics are all nonpartisan.

Results of the meeting will be brought to the forthcoming PKB national congress as input, Taqiudin added. PKB executives across the country will convene in Jakarta on April 26 and April 27 to elect the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates.

PKB has so far supported Gus Dur's bid for the presidency, but some of its officials have hinted that they might change their minds.

Some 200 NU clerics will also meet on April 21 in Surabaya to talk about criteria for presidential candidates. -- JP