Her Majesty's ambassador

Her Majesty's ambassador

Diplomatic assignments, by definition, are of a short-term
nature. So it is not surprising that ambassadors come and go when
they have completed their assignments. Nevertheless, the
departure of Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador Richard Gozney
and his wife Mrs. Diana Gozney cannot be viewed simply as a
routine event in Jakarta's diplomatic life.

Since the beginning of the Republic of Indonesia, British
diplomats have played a significant role in finding amicable
solutions to the complicated problems facing this country.

We are reminded of the roles that Sir Archibald Clark Kerr
(who later became Lord Inverchapel) and Lord Killearn played in
mediating in the conflict between the Netherlands and the
Republic of Indonesia, resulting in the Linggarjati Agreement of
1947. There was also the work done by Sir John Ford, who at the
end of the 1970s negotiated with the then powerful security
chief, Gen. Sumitro, to release in stages the political prisoners
held on Buru island.

Ambassador Richard Gozney's performance since he presented his
credentials at the end of August 2000 has been of a different
nature. He has a natural gift for making friends with Indonesians
from all professional and social circles. These wide-ranging
friendships, inside and outside the government, made it easier
for Pak Gozney to explain his government's unpopular policies in
Iraq.

Given that this is his second assignment in Indonesia -- he
was here about 40 years ago as a young political officer -- his
proficiency in the Indonesian language, which he speaks with a
slight Jakarta accent, and his visibility and accessibility are
indeed noticeable.

What is it that makes Ambassador Richard Gozney such a
valuable asset, not only for the Jakarta diplomatic corps but,
more important, for the politics of Indonesia's nascent
democracy?

Indonesians, whether government officials, legislative
members, business executives, media representatives or activists,
will remember how Ambassador Gozney always used common sense and
took a rational approach in suggesting possible solutions to a
number of perplexing problems facing Indonesia.

Of course, empathy and a personal inclination to be generous
with advice were not the only reasons Her Majesty's ambassador
worked so hard during these past years. After all, a stable and
prosperous Indonesia, in which democracy and justice flourish,
will have a positive impact on the security architecture of
Southeast Asia. That, in turn, will offer exciting possibilities
for the business and investment interests of the United Kingdom.

We wish Ambassador Richard Gozney and the elegant Mrs. Gozney
selamat jalan. May he, in his next position, attain the same
success he experienced in Indonesia.