U.S. to close consulate in Medan

U.S. to close consulate in Medan

JAKARTA (JP): The United States plans to close its consulate
general in Medan, North Sumatra, as part of on-going efforts to
downsize its overseas administrative facilities and cut spending.

The Medan office is one of 19 American diplomatic missions
which will be closed according to an announcement made by the
State Department in Washington on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

The other 18 missions include three embassies -- Equatorial
Guinea, the Seychelles and Western Samoa -- and 15 consulates
which include: Brisbane in Australia; Cebu in the Philippines;
and Udorn in Thailand.

Besides Medan, the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta oversees two
consulates general in Jakarta and Surabaya (East Java), and a
consular agency in Denpasar (Bali).

The State Department and foreign aid have been prime targets
for spending cuts as Washington seeks to reduce its huge budget
deficit. President Clinton has made it a priority to streamline
the government. (emb)