Indonesian President Mr Abdurrahman Wahid today offered his increasingly ambitious deputy a power-sharing proposal as a way out of the country's growing political crisis, a government minister said.
At a cabinet meeting today the president put forward a concept on the delegation of authority, Minister of Co-operatives Mr Zarkasih Noer said. Both Mr Wahid and Vice President Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri abruptly left the crisis cabinet talks.
"[She] will study this," the minister said. The often erratic Mr Wahid only hours before had rejected suggestions that to avoid an impeachment hearing he share more power with Ms Megawati.
Ms Megawati, locked in further talks with senior party officials, was also asked at the cabinet meeting to choose between her roles as vice president and party chief, secretary general of her party, Mr Sutjipto, told reporters.
Chief security minister Mr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono separately told reporters after the cabinet meeting he was going to meet Mr Wahid and would later brief reporters.