FM Wirayuda urges diplomats to build corporate culture

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda called on the country`s diplomats to build corporate culture and provide easy, fast and cheap public services as part of the efforts to imporve the performace of foreign ministry officials and diplomats overseas.

"We want to make sure that foreign ministry officials and diplomts overseas will provide fast, easy and cheap public services. Our diplomats will always take side with the Indonesian corporate bodies or individuals abroad," the foreign minister said in dialog with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) here on Sunday night.

He said that diplomats assigned abroads were always briefed with marketing knowldege in order that they would be able to promote Indonesia in foreign countries.

"We stress that representatives overseas originate from the people at home. Therefore, they must be able to send back foreign exhanges," Wirajuda said.

He said that ambassadors could only make a visit at home if they took a significant number of foreign businessmen with them.

Wirajuda said that all sides in Indonesia should unite and work to attract investors and encourage exports.

The minister made the remarks in response to a request by the Kadin that the foreign affairs ministry should set a target for ambassadors overseas to measure their performance.

"There should be additional parameters to assess the performance of ambassadors overseas, particularly those assigned in potential countries," Kadin Chairman MS Hidayat said on the occasion.

He said that the foreign affairs ministry should set certain targets for ambassadors and Kadin was ready to help prepare the targets.

The Kadin chairman also proposed that the ambassadorial posts should not always be filled with career diplomats but also with private businessmen or officials from the state-owned enterprises.

"So, ambassadors must have targets as Singaporean government sets for its ambassadors," Hidayat said adding that ambassadors must be directed toward achievements.

He said that Singapore named its ex-trade minister as its foreign minister. "Possibly because the aim of its politics is economy," the Kadin chairman said.