JAKARTA (AFP) - A team of ministers met Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid on today to prepare for lobbying main political parties on a compromise to stave off his impeachment, a minister said.

Defence Minister Mohammad Mahfud said after meeting Wahid with three other ministers that the meeting discussed their plan to lobby the leaders of political parties.

"We will tell them (parties) about seeking a compromise settlement, but one that does not run against the constitution or run against the interests of the people," Mahfud said.

Mahfud met Wahid together with top security minister Agum Gumelar, Home Affairs' Suryadi Sudirja and Justice and Human Rights Minister Marsilam Simanjuntak.

Compromise sought

He said Wahid has asked the ministers to lobby with at least three largest political parties and the one headed by the president's arch enemy, Amien Rais, who also heads the national assembly.

The three largest groups are the Indonesian Democracy Party for Struggle (PDIP) headed by Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri, the Golkar Party of former president Suharto, chaired by House Speaker Akbar Tanjung, and the Muslim United Development Party.

"He (Wahid) is convinced that the MPR has the capacity to think about the fate of the people," Mahfud said.

He did not elaborate. Wahid on Sunday said he intended to serve his five-year term until 2004 but that he would seek a compromise with his political foes.

He also said he will ask three ministers to actively lobby for the compromises with all concerned sides.

The Indonesian parliament, with which Wahid has been at loggerheads since early in his term, is to convene a special session on August 1 to hear his account of his rule. A rejection of his account will oust him from office.

Special session

Wahid has argued that such a special session should not seek to hold him to account since the constitution only demands the president to account for his rule once every five years, at the end of his term of office.

He also argued that the country was under a presidential system and not a parliamentary one.

Analysts and politicians have said compromises could see more power delegated to Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri, a precipitated general election and a new cabinet line-up.

Mahfud, earlier on today said Wahid may probably replace Finance Minister Priyadi Praptosuharjo later in the day.

But the finance minister said Wahid had not mentioned that to him during a meeting later on today.

Praptosuharjo had been charged with revising the state budget to deal with the ballooning deficit. The revisions had forced the government to take the unpopular decision to increase fuel prices, electricity tariffs and the value added tax later this month.

His replacement would be the beleaguered Wahid's second round of new cabinet appointments since the start of the month.