New U.S. Ambassador To Brunei, Gene B. Christy, Arrives
By Azlan Othman

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei's existing strong ties with the United States of America has moved on to a more dynamic and a fruitful level with the recent working visit of His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei to the US and discussions the monarch held there with President George W. Bush and other members of the Cabinet.

The new US Ambassador to Brunei Mr. Gene B. Christy confirmed this yesterday talking to the media on arrival at the Brunei International Airport after a long flight from Texas.

He said that despite the great geographic distance the political distance between the United States and Brunei grew shorter in the past month.

"Our relations were enhanced and strengthened by the visit of His Majesty the Sultan to the United States.

"His Majesty renewed his friendship with President Bush and discussed a wide range of issues with the president and cabinet members at the White House," he added.

Ambassador Christy also said: "I was delighted, as the new Ambassador to Brunei, that my first duty was to support His Majesty's working visit to the US. I was pleased indeed that this first visit to the White House was such a success.

"As well as enhancing the personal friendship between leaders, the visit produced a number of bilateral initiatives.

"They include cooperating to disrupt the movement of terrorists and their finances; and to do everything possible to safeguard the lives and the livelihoods of Bruneians and Americans from terrorism, increasing trade and economic cooperation between Brunei and the US, based on bilateral trade and investment framework agreements signed during the Sultan's visit.

"Other matters include enhancing mutually beneficial defence relationship between our armed forces and providing more opportunities for Brunei military and civilian personnel to benefit from programs at US military training schools and establishing a Fulbright program aimed at deepening understanding between our two countries through educational exchanges. These are challenges and opportunities that I welcome."

A native of Texas, Mr. Christy has been in the Foreign Service since 1971. During that time, he has served in Indonesia twice, Turkey twice, Malaysia, Turkmenistan and Haiti. He has also served in Washington several times, including most recently as Director of the Office of Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore Affairs in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

Previously, he also served as Senior Adviser in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs on the "conflict diamond" issue, and from July 2000 to January 2001, as Director (for Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific) in the Asia office of the National Security Council.

Mr. Christy is proficient in the Turkish and Indonesian languages, and he speaks French and Turkmen. Mr. Christy is a member of a Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counsellor.

Nominated for the Director General's annual reporting award three times during his career, he has received individual honour awards for his work in Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkmenistan and Washington. (Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin)

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