Goodbye Mr. Alex

Former Foreign Minister Ali Alatas (served 1988-1999) died Thursday 11 Desember 2008 at 07.30 in the Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore.

Men 76 years is sick since 20 November 2008 and was treated at the Medistra Hospital, Jakarta. To get a better treatment, Alex so-familiar call-Ali Alatas, moved to Mount Elizabeth Hospital on 24 November 2008.

Twelve years ago, Alex was treated in the same hospital to undergo surgery by-pass heart. Men birth Jakarta, 4 November 1932, is leaving his wife, Yunisa Alatas, and three daughters and eight grandchildren. Department last consideration is the chairman of the Board President. Alex remains arrived at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport at 18:10 with the GA 869 aircraft received direct and Foreign Minister Nur Hassan Wirajuda.


President SBY visited the mourning house in Jalan Items 19, South Jakarta. Presidential entourage present at 20:30 together with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

About 15 minutes to see the corpse and condolence, SBY themselves provide information about services for Alex this nation. ''The nation is again lost a great leader. A skilful diplomat, statesman, educator and a tenacious struggle national interest,''he said with eyes sembap.

In this opportunity, SBY stated that one of the memories until now is still remembered in 1999 when Alex as the head of the RI delegation should explain the issue of East Timor at the forum of the UN Security Council.

''At that time, I as a senior officer involved in assisting the TNI was. He teaches how to keep themselves to defend national interests,''said SBY

A year ago, precisely 2007, screaming back at the U.S. UN forum. Former Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security said that the first he was in the back and Learning. Now, while in the future, Alex provide feedback and suggestions.

Entourage of Vice President Jusuf Kalla also visited the mourning house. Kalla came at 21:30 after a convoy entourage President SBY to go.

Meanwhile, Malaysian PM Abdullah Badawi revealed, Ali Alatas is the diplomatic noose until the end of its lifetime and hold a positive for the Indonesia-Malaysia relations. Until now, Alex still serves members EPG (Eminent Persons Group) Indonesia-Malaysia, which served to make the program of action antarmasyarakat.

Present at the mourning house, Cabinet officials unite Indonesia, the ex-officials of the former New Order, and relatives. Hundreds of interest mourning prettify the house and yard neighbors. The deceased to the TMP will ever today at 09:00.

Alex started his career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1956 after completing education at the Academy of the Office of Foreign Affairs (ADLN) and the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia.

He placed as a diplomat at the Embassy of Bangkok (1956-1960) and the Embassy of Washington DC (1966-1970), before he was appointed as spokesperson and the head of the Secretariat Deplu Laos Laos during the Adam Malik (1970-1975). Alex is the leaders and actors in the history of the establishment and strengthening of ASEAN cooperation, since ASEAN was formed in 1967.