Options: The
president is said to be favoring a role at Global Green Growth Institute
Jakarta Globe, Ezra Sihite, Kennial Caroline Laia & Novy Lumanauw, Sep 02, 2014
Jakarta. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose term in office is due to end next month, has been offered a leading position at the United Nations in recognition of his international role, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa confirmed on Monday.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Sept. 1, 2014. (Antara Photo/Andika Wahyu) |
Jakarta. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose term in office is due to end next month, has been offered a leading position at the United Nations in recognition of his international role, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa confirmed on Monday.
“It is true
that the UN offered President Yudhoyono a position as the end of his term
nears, in recognition of his performance during his time in office,” Marty said
at the presidential office on Monday.
In
addition, Marty said similar offers have also come from other international organizations.
The president is currently considering his options.
“There are
plenty of offers that would allow the president to be continually involved in
international matters,” Marty added.
However, he
declined to disclose what positions the president had been offered.
“Better ask
Mr. President, not me,” he said.
Presidential
spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said Yudhoyono had been offered positions in at
least three international bodies, including the UN Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (Unesco), the Japan-Indonesia Association and the Global
Green Growth Institute (GGGI).
Of those
three, Yudhoyono is most likely to choose Seoul-based GGGI, according to
Julian.
“President
Yudhoyono has been offered to become the president of a South Korea-headquartered
climate-change body, [the GGGI],” Julian said on Monday. “It’s almost certain
that he will accept.”
The offer
to join the Japan-Indonesia Association has come directly from the
association’s chairman, former Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda, during his
meeting with Yudhoyono in Jakarta on Monday.
“Fukuda
basically asked the president to remain active [in the association]. It’s not
mentioned, though, what position he was offered.”
As for the
Unesco offer, it came from the organization’s director general Irina Bokova
during her recent meeting with Yudhoyono in Bali, Julian said. But the
president was not interested in this.
“President
SBY is not interested in UN organizations,” Julian said. “President SBY seems
to be more interested in leading Global Green in South Korea.”
Presidential
spokesman for international affairs Teuku Faizasyah specifically denied a rumor
that the president had ambitions to become the next UN secretary general.
“There have
been opinions that the president wants to become UN secretary general. That’s
not true,” Faizasyah said.
Teuku
Rezasyah, brother of Faizasyah and the director of the Indonesian Center for
Democracy, Diplomacy and Defense, said that appointing Yudhoyono as the UN
secretary general would be a good choice for the world and that it would be
very prestigious for Indonesia.
“This is
the right moment for Indonesia. President Yudhoyono’s statesmanship is
unquestionable. On a domestic level, he has succeeded in bringing Indonesia to
a more developed and modern level based on the principle of circumspection. In
addition, the country’s democracy and economy have improved during his term,”
Rezasyah said.
“Globally,
Yudhoyono has succeeded in showing the world how to solve problems or conflicts
carefully and respectfully without resorting to violence,” he said.
Rezasyah
added that the president should accept the mandate to play a role in the
international area.
“He
shouldn’t refuse the offer because this is such a great honor for Indonesia,”
he said. “If not now, the world will experience a ‘loss.’ There is no other
figure as qualified as President Yudhoyono who has played such a significant
role on a domestic, regional and international level,” he said.
However, he
warned that Yudhoyono and his government should fully consider the implications
if the president agrees to serve in such a role, especially in the UN.
“There are
a few concerns. If Yudhoyono agrees [to join an international body], it should
not place any burden on the next government. Yudhoyono or Marty should
carefully consider this from every aspect,” he said.
But
Rezasyah said although Yudhoyono was a strong candidate as the UN general
secretary, potential candidates from other Asian countries could possibly
compete for the post.
However,
Rezasyah also denied rumors that Yudhoyono had ambitions to become the next UN
general secretary.
“I’ve never
heard such an ambitious statement from the president. The truth is that if the
global society asked him to accept such a mandate, then he better accept it,
not for his own interest, but for Indonesia and for the world as a whole,”
Rezasyah said.
But
Bantarto Bandoro, an international relations observer, said such an offer would
be questionable, considering Indonesia’s capabilities on diplomatic matters.
“It has to
be something that resulted from our own diplomatic efforts,” he said.
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