His Majesty grants audiences to envoys
By Jason Leong

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday presented Letters of Credentials to newly-appointed Brunei envoys and received Letters of Credentials from four foreign envoys to this country.

His Majesty first presented the Letters of Credentials to Dato Paduka Serbini bin Haji Ali, as Brunei Darussalam's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belgium. This was followed by Pehin Datu Lailaraja (R) Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, as Brunei Darussalam's High Commissioner to Malaysia.

His Majesty later received Letters of Credentials from four newly-appointed foreign envoys to the country, namely, Mr Handriyo Kusumo Priyo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia; Mr Victor Alexandrovich Seleznev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation; Mr Ensar Eminovic, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Mr Tapio Kalevi Saarela, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Finland.

Following the ceremony, His Majesty granted an audience to the two new Brunei envoys.

Prior to his appointment as Brunei Darussalam's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belgium, Dato Paduka Serbini bin Haji Ali, 55, held the post of Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Meanwhile, Pehin Datu Lailaraja (R) Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Hambi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, 54, Brunei Darussalam's High Commissioner to Malaysia, previously served as Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

His Majesty later granted separate audiences to the newly-appointed foreign envoys from the Republic of Indonesia, the Russian Federation, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Finland.

Mr Handriyo Kusumo Priyo, 58, was previously with the Directorate General of Protocol and Consular Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Indonesia.

Mr Victor Alexandrovich Seleznev, 59, previously served as the Deputy Director of General, Department of Multilateral Asian Issues, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Meanwhile, the non-resident Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Brunei Darussalam, Ensar Eminovic, 36, is also the country's Ambassador to Malaysia.

Finland's non-resident Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Mr Tapio Kalevi Saarela, 63, is currently serving as Finland's Ambassador to Malaysia.

The ceremony took place at the Istana Nurul Iman. - Borneo Bulletin (4th March 2010)


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