Talk against Gelbard should reduce

Talk against Gelbard should reduce

JAKARTA (JP): Senior observers urged a toning down of rhetoric
against Ambassador Robert Gelbard despite his shortcomings as the
coming United States presidential election may signal the end of
the American envoy anyway.

Foreign affairs observer and former minister of defense Juwono
Sudarsono told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that he has no qualms
about his distaste for Gelbard's performance here, whom he
described as "a disgrace to diplomacy and embarrassment to the
U.S. community".

But he brushed aside further polemic on the issue as the
envoy's future here was already in the balance.

"It's a tradition of American governments that after a
presidential election, all U.S. ambassadors tender their formal
resignations in order to let the president decide whether the
ambassadors will be reappointed or replaced," Juwono said.

"One way or the other, the presidential election will
determine the future of Ambassador Gelbard's career in
Indonesia," he remarked.

Juwono lamented that Gelbard had a long line of disputes with
Indonesian officials ever since he was appointed ambassador here,
"so he's been quite a disturbance to the government".

However, he said the ongoing controversy over Gelbard will not
be a serious threat to diplomatic ties between the two countries
and that the relationship will survive.

"They have to distinguish between a certain ambassador to the
overall relationship between the two countries, which is good,"
Juwono said.

Top Cabinet officials and senior legislators have mounted a
relentless public attack on the ambassador. Many have publicly
accused of him of meddling in domestic affairs.
former a narcotics officer and special envoy to the Balkans, has
been unwelcome in many circles.

Senior foreign affairs researcher Dewi Fortuna Anwar also
suggested that the advent of a new administration in Washington
was a good opportunity for the U.S. to replace Gelbard, who is
now at home.

Dewi, a special advisor on foreign affairs to former president
B.J. Habibie, said she did not want to see a dive in diplomatic
ties because of the issue surrounding the envoy.

"We actually want to localize this issue so it doesn't spread
and become an anti-American sentiment," she remarked. "What
people don't like is just the ambassador himself".

Dewi also lamented that a person like Gelbard, a former a
narcotics officer and special envoy to the Balkans, was chosen
for Indonesia where subtlety, tact and diplomacy are premium.

"We've had many U.S. ambassadors and so far there had been no
protest. However, this ambassador has been judged by many as
unsuitable in conducting his mission here," she remarked.

In a stinging criticism, Dewi suggested that Gelbard "may be
more suitable for small satellite countries of the United States"
and not for "a big country like Indonesia which is proud of its
free and active policies.

Meanwhile in Yogyakarta, Amien Rais also remarked that Gelbard
would on his way out after Tuesday's U.S. presidential election.

"This is the first time Indonesia has received an ambassador
like Gelbard. Previous and even more recent ambassadors such as
Ed Masters, Paul Wolfowitz or Stapleton Roy have always respected
us".

"This ambassador, excuse me for saying this, is rather
arrogant".

"So I'm convinced that after a new administration is formed in
Washington, whether Bush or Al Gore wins, Gelbard will be
replaced".

Political analyst J. Soedjati Djiwandono seemed to take a more
lenient tone and instead called on the political elite,
especially the legislators, to restrain themselves, saying rash
statements were "very inappropriate".(23/45/edt/dja)