SYDNEY, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Foreign Minister of Papua New Guinea (PNG) Justin Tkatchenko has stepped aside and Prime Minister James Marape will oversee the foreign ministry in the interim.
The announcement of the office of Prime Minister on late Friday afternoon came after Tkatchenko's daughter faced criticism for social media videos she made while accompanying the minister to London for King Charles's coronation, and the foreign minister's defense of his daughter drew further harsh criticism from the public.
"The Prime Minister acknowledged that the Minister did what any father would do, but his responsibility as an elected leader and a state minister required that his conduct and words must remain exemplary and above board at all times," said the announcement.
Tkatchenko later apologized for his remarks and told a press conference that the decision to step aside was not easy.
He said he stepping aside as foreign minister so that the country can move forward and that he can also clear his name and also clear the doubt and the misinformation that is out there, reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Marape also apologized to the public for Tkatchenko's words and appealed to the country to rise above these issues. ■