Tyasno to replace Subagyo as Army chief

Tyasno to replace Subagyo as Army chief

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Military Strategic Intelligence
Agency chief Lt. Gen. Tyasno Sudarto will replace Gen. Subagyo
Hadisiswoyo as Army chief of staff, a palace source said on
Wednesday.

The news comes on the heels of speculation over a shakeup in
the Army.

The source, who requested anonymity, said Subagyo would become
the new chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council (DPA), replacing
A.A. Baramuli, who relinquished his post after being elected to
the People's Consultative Assembly from South Sulawesi.

"It was decided today that Tyasno will replace Subagyo as the
Army chief of staff, while Subagyo will become DPA chairman," the
source said.

No date for the handover of the Army's top post has been set,
however.

The news followed a meeting between President Abdurrahman
Wahid, recently returned from visits to the United States and
Japan, and the two officers at the State Guest House on Wednesday
morning.

Subagyo and Tyasno refused to answer journalists' questions on
the handover following the 30-minute meeting.

Subagyo said he and Tyasno were summoned by the President to
report on a reshuffle in the Army, in which several regional
military commanders were replaced.

Tyasno, who succeeded Subagyo as chief of the Diponegoro
Military Command overseeing Central Java a few years ago,
previously met with Abdurrahman before his tour of Southeast
Asian nations earlier this month.

Separately, Indonesian Military (TNI) deputy chief Lt. Gen.
Fachrul Razi was promoted to a four-star general earlier in the
day. He received his promotion from TNI Commander Adm. Widodo
A.S. at TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta.

The promotion of Fachrul raises the number of four-star
officers in TNI and the National Police to seven. The other six
are Coordinating Minister for Security and Political Affairs Gen.
Wiranto, TNI chief Adm. Widodo, National Police chief Gen.
Roesmanhadi, Gen. Subagyo, Navy Commander Adm. Achmad Soetjipto
and Air Force Commander Air Marshall Hanafie Asnan. (02)