Suwito Kusumowidagdo

As head of foreign information in Indonesia's Information Ministry, Suwito Kusumowidagdo hosted a representative of the Institute of Pacific Relations in February 1951. By August 1957 he was acting secretary-general of the Foreign Ministry; a presidential decree appointed him to a committee reviewing government salary regulations. ^{1, 2}

He later became deputy foreign minister during the collapse of Sukarno’s political order. A December 1965 American embassy assessment described him as the leader of a substantial Foreign Ministry group that no longer supported Foreign Minister Subandrio. A 1966 presidential decision subsequently appointed Suwito deputy minister for foreign political affairs. ^{3, 4}

A decree of 24 November 1966 appointed Suwito ambassador to the United States, replacing Lambertus Nicodemus Palar. He took up the accredited ambassadorship in January 1967. On 13 April he completed the formalities for Indonesia’s return to the World Bank, from which the country had withdrawn in August 1965. ^{5, 6, 7}