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resident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over the weekend appointed former Indonesian ambassador to the United States Dino Patti Djalal as deputy foreign minister.

Dino will replace outgoing Deputy Foreign Minister Wardana, who has been appointed Indonesian ambassador to Turkey.

'€œI can confirm Pak Dino will become deputy foreign minister, replacing Wardana,'€ presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said on Saturday.

Julian said that the deputy foreign minister position was too strategic to be left vacant for too long.

Yudhoyono is expected to swear in Dino on Monday.

Dino left his post as ambassador to the US last year to join the Democratic Party presidential convention. Dino'€™s electability rating never rose above the single digit and his bid was in limbo after the Democratic Party failed to secure sufficient votes in the April 9 legislative election to nominate its own presidential candidate.

Prior to his stint as ambassador, Dino served as a spokesperson for Yudhoyono on foreign affairs.

Dino has, on numerous occasions, been cited as a potential successor to Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa. When Gita became trade minister and left his post at the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Dino was also a favorite to replace him due to his vast network and relationships with foreign investors.

In late June, Dino made a statement that could be seen to defend Gerindra Party'€™s presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto.

Responding to a statement from the US Ambassador to Indonesia Robert O. Blake Jr. that his government took allegations of human rights abuses seriously, Dino said that foreign governments should not interfere with domestic politics.

'€œDon'€™t give outsiders any room to make guerrilla maneuvers in our domestic politics,'€ he said.