New envoy accredited as U.S.-Indonesia ties chill

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Senior U.S. diplomat Ralph Leo "Skip" Boyce presented his credentials to President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday amid signs of chilling ties between Indonesia and the United States due to differences regarding the U.S. attacks on Afghanistan.

The new ambassador, experienced in Southeast Asian affairs, formally began his tenure in Jakarta barely a week after what many analysts suggest was a snub by President George W. Bush toward Megawati while the leaders attended an Asia-Pacific summit in Shanghai.

Boyce held a brief meeting with Megawati after officially presenting his credentials at Merdeka Palace. He made no statement to journalists when leaving.

Megawati failed to meet with Bush when they were in Shanghai for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit at the weekend, although a formal request had been made on her behalf for an opportunity to explain Jakarta's response to U.S. attacks on terrorist targets in Afghanistan.

The White House had earlier expressed its irritation at Megawati's veiled criticism of the United States after she, in a widely publicized statement, said that no country had the right to attack another and that blood could not be cleansed with blood.

The U.S. Embassy was the scene of many anti-American protests in the week immediately following the start of the U.S. bombing campaign in Afghanistan on Oct. 7.

In spite of the existing state of relations, Boyce's appointment has been widely welcomed in Jakarta. His predecessor, Robert S. Gelbard, was frequently caught in a war of words with Indonesian officials and politicians, to the point that some politicians had called for his expulsion.

The possibility that relations with Washington were cooling was implied in Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda's statement after Boyce's meeting at the palace, when he said, "Hopefully, with Ambassador Boyce, we can enhance our relationship with the United States."

Compounding problems in the diplomatic landscape is the fact that Indonesia has yet to appoint an envoy to Washington to replace Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-jakti, who was summoned home by Megawati in July to become her chief economics minister.

Hassan said that the government was evaluating the potential candidates, which must be approved by the House of Representatives.

"The process is under way. The post will be filled as soon as possible," he said.

Sources within the ministry said that two names on the shortlist are Sumadi Brotodiningrat, a senior diplomat and currently ambassador to Japan, and economist Sri Edi Swasono. Senior Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) politician Jacob Tobing is also reported to have set his sights on the Washington post.

Separately, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced that the government had recruited former foreign ministers Ali Alatas and Alwi Shihab and former minister of defense Juwono Sudarsono as part of a new team to help promote Indonesia's foreign policy.

"We feel that we need special envoys to promote our foreign policy and strengthen our diplomacy," Susilo said while attending a seminar.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda met with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in Shanghai to reiterate Jakarta's support for an international campaign against terrorism, stressing, however, the need for an active role to be played by the United Nations.

Hassan also appealed for Washington to stop the attacks before the Muslim Ramadhan fasting month commenced in mid-November, saying that a continued campaign could have a destabilizing effect on Indonesia and other predominantly Muslim countries.

Prior to his Jakarta assignment, Boyce served as deputy secretary for East Asia and Pacific affairs. His previous foreign postings include Thailand and Singapore. Born in Washington on February 1, 1952, he is married to Kathryn Sligh, with two children.