Susilo promoted to four-star general
Susilo promoted to four-star general
JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was promoted to
honorary four-star general on Monday by President Abdurrahman
Wahid.
Susilo, who resigned from the military when appointed as mines
and energy minister in the previous Cabinet, was quick to point
out that the promotion had nothing to do with his new position as
top political and security officer in the Cabinet.
"It is a military tradition," he was quoted by Antara as
saying after reporting the promotion to the Indonesian Military
chief Adm. Widodo A.S. in Cilangkap, East Jakarta.
Many believe that Susilo is among few Cabinet members who have
won the President's trust. Susilo, along with Cabinet members
Erna Witoelar and Ryaas Rasyid, were chosen by Abdurrahman last
month to draft the structure of the new Cabinet.
Susilo is also a key player in containing the fallout over the
killing of three UN workers in Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara
earlier this month.
He was dispatched to New York last week to brief members of
the United Nations Security Council on measures Jakarta would
take to disband the militias in East Nusa Tenggara.
Born in Pacitan, East Java, in 1949, he was the Indonesian
Military's chief of territorial affairs before his appointment to
the Cabinet in October last year.
Separately, United States Ambassador to Indonesia Robert
Gelbard played down reports that U.S. Marines were at the East
Timor border.
Gelbard said the marines left East Timor last week after
staying for three days and were there for what he called
humanitarian purposes.
"Yes, there were U.S. marines in East Timor. I am not quite
sure of their number, maybe around 600 marines," Gelbard told
journalists after meeting with Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri here on Monday.
During their meeting, Gelbard and Megawati reportedly
discussed various issues, including the Vice President's visit to
Atambua and the country's economic situation.(byg)