Ambassador Gelbard to resign on Jan. 20

JAKARTA (JP): The United States Ambassador to Indonesia Robert S. Gelbard will tender his official resignation soon after the inauguration of the newly elected U.S. President, George W. Bush, on Jan. 20, an embassy staff said.

The embassy's senior staff Abdullah Alamudi told The Jakarta Post on Monday that the resignation letter will be submitted to the new president after his induction.

"It is an American tradition that whenever an opposition party wins the election, all U.S. ambassadors will have to tender their resignations, and this includes Ambassador Gelbard," Abdullah said.

He further said that President-elect Bush would have to form his Cabinet first before the U.S. secretary of state could decide the fate of the U.S. ambassadors, thus naming Gelbard's replacement was not Washington's priority at the moment.

Previously a narcotics officer and special envoy to the Balkans, Gelbard had a long line of disputes with Indonesian officials ever since he was appointed ambassador here in October 1999. Some considered him arrogant and had suggested that the government expel him.

Top Cabinet officials and senior legislators have mounted a relentless public attack on Gelbard. Many have publicly accused of him of meddling in the country's domestic affairs.

Separately, political observer from the Center of Strategic and International Studies Kusnanto Anggoro told the Post that the replacement of Gelbard was just a matter of time since he was closely related to the democrats.

"I think he will be replaced because he has close relations with the Democratic party, which is the party that lost the election. I think the U.S. should send an ambassador who would be sensitive to the domestic atmosphere," he said. (dja)