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US envoy says attacks on him are aimed at Wahid

Source
Sydney Morning Herald - November 3, 2000

Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Jakarta – The US Ambassador to Indonesia, who stands accused by several MPs and officials of meddling in the country's internal affairs, yesterday claimed he was being targeted and smeared by opponents of President Abdurrahman Wahid.

"There is no question that a major part of what has been going on involves those who want to see this Government fail," Robert Gelbard said. "They want to create a rift between the United States and the Government of Indonesia."

Some MPs and officials have accused Mr Gelbard of trying to influence Cabinet appointments and unfairly pressing the Government on issues including the refugee crisis in West Timor.

But the US State Department has stood by Mr Gelbard, saying his statements have been made because of US concern over stalled efforts at reform and eradication of corruption in crisis-hit Indonesia.

A further source of friction has been the week-long partial closure of the US Embassy in Jakarta over what the embassy says is a "credible threat" to its security. A Foreign Ministry spokesman complained on Wednesday that the closure of the visa and passport sections "gives an image that the situation in Indonesia is out of control and unsafe".

As Mr Gelbard left Jakarta yesterday on what US officials said was a long-planned family holiday, America upgraded its cautionary advice to US citizens planning to go to Indonesia to a full-scale travel warning, urging they defer non-essential travel. "Serious violence has broken out in the past year on most major islands. Events in the Middle East have increased the possibility of further violence," the warning said.

In Washington, a State Department spokesman said Mr Gelbard would probably be away from his post for about a week. Although no meetings have been announced, he is expected to hold talks with the State Department's No3, the Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Thomas Pickering.

Asked if Mr Gelbard would be reprimanded or asked to tone down his comments, a State Department official replied: "No, this is not about him, it's about Indonesia."

The Indonesian Defence Minister, Mr Mohamad Mahfud, yesterday staged a new attack on Mr Gelbard. "Once again we remind him to change his attitudes and behaviour and to co-operate in good manner," Mr Mahfud was quoted as saying by the Satunet news portal.

Mr Wahid yesterday signed a decree formally rejecting a plea for a pardon from Tommy Soeharto, the youngest son of the former Indonesian dictator, over a corruption conviction, moving the multi-millionaire businessman a step closer to prison.

The Justice Minister, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, said Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra could be jailed as early as today once the decree had been sent for execution to the South Jakarta Attorney General's office, which handled his initial case.

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