Soeharto receives new Turkish, Chinese envoys

Soeharto receives new Turkish, Chinese envoys

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto received the credentials of
new ambassadors yesterday in a ceremony without speeches for the
first time, marking a new protocol in state ceremony.

Soeharto received yesterday letters of credential from
Chinese Ambassador Chen Shiqiu and Turkish Ambassador Mehmet
Guney at Merdeka Palace.

The new envoys also did not make any speeches during the
ceremony.

Shiqiu replaces Zhou Gang who was stationed here since
September 1995.

Guney is the successor of Sevinc Dalyanoglu who arrived here
in July 1992.

According to previous state protocol, both the President and
the new ambassador are expected to deliver a brief speech during
the ceremony.

"We have planned this for long time in an effort to make a it
a briefer but no less solemn ceremony," said a palace official.

According to the Diplomatic and Consular List, issued by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in January 1997, there are 126
foreign embassies in Jakarta.

The official pointed out that speechless ceremonies were
common in other countries. "The credential ceremony is an
important event, and the meaning will not decrease without a
speech, this is merely for efficiency purposes".

Departing ambassadors say their farewells to either the
President or, more commonly, the Vice President.

State protocol officials have tried in the past few years to
shorten the ceremonies attended by the 76-year-old President.

"The President no longer shakes hands with all guests he
receives, especially when their number is so big that he has to
spend a long time doing it," another official said. (prb)