Sutiyoso rejects U.S. wall proposal

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso has rejected the U.S. Embassy's request to construct massive, three-meter-high walls to replace the current transparent walls in the embassy compound and those encircling the residences of the U.S. ambassador and vice ambassador.

"The construction of such massive walls would violate 1991 Bylaw No.7 on Building Design," head of City Building Control and Planning Djumhana said on Tuesday.

"Even the current three-meter transparent walls are already a concession on the maximum height of 2.5 meters, as stipulated in the bylaw."

Djumhana was speaking after a meeting between Sutiyoso and U.S. assistant regional security officer Biryon Bacik.

However, the governor hinted that a high wall could be constructed three meters behind the current transparent ones.

"The embassy should also lay out gardens and flower beds between the two walls to improve the aesthetic appearance of the compound.

"Gardens and flower beds would reduce the impression that the U.S. Embassy is a fort," Djumhana said, quoting Sutiyoso.

Sutiyoso also added that once the massive walls had been built the movable concrete barriers in front of the embassy premises on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan ought to be removed.

However, the embassy insisted that it would not remove the barriers if the city administration refused to allow the construction of a solid wall in place of the transparent one.

The barriers were erected last September after the embassy closure that followed possible threats to the embassy, which did not materialize.

The threats were related to the first anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington D.C.

Earlier last year, U.S. Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce also sought permission to change the transparent wall to a solid one and build another two-meter-high transparent wall on top of that.

It was said that the request was based on a policy laid down by Washington for all of its embassies around the world.

The city administration also rejected that first request.