Dismissing Minister Retno's Issue Of Retno Resigning, Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Calls Budi Arie A Foreign Minister Ad Interim A Ordinary Thing

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) Lalu Muhamad Iqbal said the appointment of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Menlu) ad interim is normal in government.

According to him, this had been done a long time ago when the minister concerned was not in Indonesia.

"The Foreign Minister himself was once the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs ad interim," Iqbal said via text message on Monday, January 22, was confiscated by Antara.

Iqbal's statement was conveyed following the appointment of the Minister of Communication and Information (Menkominfo) Budi Arie Setiadi as Foreign Minister ad interim following the issue of Retno Marsudi's resignation from the post of Foreign Minister in the cabinet of President Jokowi's government.

Iqbal explained that Foreign Minister Retno is currently in New York, United States, to attend the UN Security Council debate session on Gaza, Palestine.

In addition, Retno will also hold meetings with a number of foreign ministers of other countries.

Meanwhile, said Iqbal, Deputy Foreign Minister Pahala Nugraha Mansury is also in Kamala, Uganda, to attend the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Because Foreign Minister Retno and Deputy Foreign Minister Pahala were not in Indonesia at the same time, President Joko Widodo then appointed Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie as Foreign Minister ad interim.