Protocol confusion at G-15 opening
Protocol confusion at G-15 opening
JAKARTA (JP): While Abdurrahman Wahid's and Megawati
Soekarnoputri's political allies were locked in heated debate at
the House of Representatives a few hundred meters away, the
President and Vice President were themselves unwittingly involved
in a protocol mix-up at the G-15 summit.
At the opening ceremony of the summit Abdurrahman introduced
Megawati to the summit participants and asked her to read out his
written speech.
"Now ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to listen to my written
speech to be read by Indonesian Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri," the President announced, after delivering his
brief off-the-cuff opening remarks.
Announcer Tia Maryadi repeated the President's statement.
While remaining seated, Megawati gave a negative gesture with
her hand.
Appreciating the problem, Tia then quickly invited Zimbabwe's
President Robert Mugabe, seated next to Megawati, to address the
summit on behalf of the African countries.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab quickly clarified the
incident and played down its significance.
He said the problem was caused by the President's
misunderstanding that the opening ceremony would be directly
followed by a closed session.
"As the President had been informed to ask Ibu Mega to chair
the meeting of the G-15, he intended only to deliver opening
remarks, then hand over the leadership of the meeting to her. But
then the misunderstanding occurred," Alwi contended.
When asked how such an incident could happen, the minister
snapped, "Making mistakes is always possible, because human
beings are not God".
The vice presidential secretary indicated that Megawati had
turned down the President's request since there was no such plan
in her official schedule.
Presidential protocol chief Wahyu Muryadi emphasized that the
President had not intentionally departed from the formal
schedule. "He only misunderstood," said Wahyu.
However, another protocol official hinted that the announcer
had simply read out loud the written schedule. "I do not know how
this could have happened," the official said.
Some other officials surmised that the President might
intentionally have asked Megawati to speak, knowing that she was
unprepared.
"You know what he's like, sometimes he is mischievous. He
often does things like that just to upset others," said the
official, who asked not to be named. (prb)
JAKARTA (JP): While Abdurrahman Wahid's and Megawati
Soekarnoputri's political allies were locked in heated debate at
the House of Representatives a few hundred meters away, the
President and Vice President were themselves unwittingly involved
in a protocol mix-up at the G-15 summit.
At the opening ceremony of the summit Abdurrahman introduced
Megawati to the summit participants and asked her to read out his
written speech.
"Now ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to listen to my written
speech to be read by Indonesian Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri," the President announced, after delivering his
brief off-the-cuff opening remarks.
Announcer Tia Maryadi repeated the President's statement.
While remaining seated, Megawati gave a negative gesture with
her hand.
Appreciating the problem, Tia then quickly invited Zimbabwe's
President Robert Mugabe, seated next to Megawati, to address the
summit on behalf of the African countries.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab quickly clarified the
incident and played down its significance.
He said the problem was caused by the President's
misunderstanding that the opening ceremony would be directly
followed by a closed session.
"As the President had been informed to ask Ibu Mega to chair
the meeting of the G-15, he intended only to deliver opening
remarks, then hand over the leadership of the meeting to her. But
then the misunderstanding occurred," Alwi contended.
When asked how such an incident could happen, the minister
snapped, "Making mistakes is always possible, because human
beings are not God".
The vice presidential secretary indicated that Megawati had
turned down the President's request since there was no such plan
in her official schedule.
Presidential protocol chief Wahyu Muryadi emphasized that the
President had not intentionally departed from the formal
schedule. "He only misunderstood," said Wahyu.
However, another protocol official hinted that the announcer
had simply read out loud the written schedule. "I do not know how
this could have happened," the official said.
Some other officials surmised that the President might
intentionally have asked Megawati to speak, knowing that she was
unprepared.
"You know what he's like, sometimes he is mischievous. He
often does things like that just to upset others," said the
official, who asked not to be named. (prb)