Ambassador Gelbard to resign on Jan. 20

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)