ASSISTANT SECRETARY KELLY'S MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 217991


E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2013
TAGS: EAID PGOV PHUM PREF PREL SOCI ID
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY KELLY'S MEETING WITH
COORDINATING MINISTER JUSUF KALLA

CLASSIFIED BY: EAP A/S JAMES A. KELLY. REASON: 1.5(B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY. A/S KELLY MET JULY 21 WITH COORDINATING
MINISTER JUSUF KALLA, WHO SAID HE LOOKED FORWARD TO VYING FOR
GOLKAR'S PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION IN THE 2004 ELECTIONS.
KALLA SPOKE OF THE GOI'S NEED TO COMBAT POVERTY AND IMPROVE
PRIMARY EDUCATION TO REDUCE THE APPEAL OF RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM
FANNED BY "OUTSIDER" CLERICS. KALLA SAID THE GOI WAS MAKING
PROGRESS IN ITS NATIONAL ANTI-AIDS CAMPAIGN DESPITE LOCAL
OPPOSITION AGAINST CONDOM USE. A/S KELLY SAID HE WAS
ENCOURAGED BY INDONESIA'S CONTINUOUS SUCCESS AT BREAKING UP
TERRORIST NETWORKS AND HE URGED KALLA TO PRESS FOR CONTINUED
TNI COOPERATION ON THE TIMIKA/TEMBAGAPURA KILLING. A/S KELLY
ALSO EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF FIGHTING AIDS AND THE
SCOURGE OF TRAFFICKING-IN-PERSONS. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) A/S KELLY MET GOI COORDINATING MINISTER FOR PEOPLE'S
WELFARE, JUSUF KALLA, IN A JULY 21 COURTESY CALL DURING
KALLA'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON. KELLY NOTED KALLA'S PROPITIOUS
TIMING, GIVEN RECENT MEDIA REPORTS OF KALLA'S INTENTION OF
VYING FOR THE GOLKAR PARTY'S PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION IN 2004.
KALLA SAID HE WAS JUST ONE OF MANY CANDIDATES, BUT LOOKED
FORWARD TO BEING SELECTED AS ONE OF FIVE SHORT-LISTED
CANDIDATES THIS FALL, AND HOPEFULLY BECOMING THE MAIN
CANDIDATE CHOSEN AT THE PARTY'S FEBRUARY 2004 CONVENTION.
KALLA ADDED THAT, BARRING ANY MAJOR PRE-ELECTION COALITION
BUILDING, THE ELECTION WAS LIKELY TO GO TO A SECOND ROUND
RUNOFF.


3. (C) A/S KELLY SAID HE WAS ENCOURAGED BY INDONESIA'S
CONTINUED SUCCESS AT BREAKING UP TERRORIST NETWORKS, NOTING
THAT DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS HAVE SURVIVED TESTING TIMES AND
WILL DO SO AGAIN DURING THE ELECTION PERIOD. KALLA RESPONDED
THAT INDONESIA'S REPUTATION FOR MODERATE RELIGIOUS VIEWPOINTS
WAS BEING UNDERMINED BY "OUTSIDER" CLERICS WHO FOUND WILLING
AUDIENCES DUE TO PERSISTENT POVERTY AND POOR EDUCATIONAL
PROSPECTS. KALLA SAID THE 2002 PEACE ACCORDS HE HAD MEDIATED
BETWEEN RELIGOUS GROUPS IN SULAWESI AND MALUKU WERE HOLDING
UP WELL DESPITE OCCASIONAL CRIMINAL VIOLENCE.


4. (C) A/S KELLY CONGRATULATED KALLA ON HIS MEDIATION EFFORTS
IN THESE CENTRAL PROVINCES, SAYING HE HOPED SIMILAR SUCCESSES
WOULD FOLLOW AT THE GEOGRAPHICAL EXTREMES OF INDONESIA, PAPUA
AND ACEH. A/S KELLY URGED KALLA TO ENCOURAGE CONTINUED
COOPERATION BY THE INDONESIAN ARMED FORCES (TNI) WITH THE FBI
INVESTIGATION INTO THE KILLINGS OF TWO AMERICANS IN
TIMIKA/TEMBAGAPURA, PAPUA PROVINCE, WHICH REMAINS OF GREAT
CONCERN TO THE USG. A/S KELLY, NOTING KALLA'S COVERAGE OF
REFUGEE ISSUES IN HIS PORTFOLIO, ADDED THAT HE HOPED THE GOI
WOULD ENSURE THE WELFARE OF CIVILIANS IN ACEH CAUGHT UP IN
THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN TO ROOT OUT SEPARATISTS FROM THE FREE
ACEH MOVEMENT (GAM).


5. (C) KALLA REPLIED THAT THE REFUGEE FLOWS IN ACEH WERE A
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT PURPOSEFULLY SOUGHT BY THE GOI TO REDUCE
THE CIVILIAN PRESENCE IN AREAS TARGETED BY THE TNI. "IT IS
BETTER TO HAVE REFUGEES THAN NOT," HE ADDED. KALLA SAID THE
MINISTRIES HE COVERS PREPARED FOR OVER 100,000 REFUGEES,
PROVIDING HUNDREDS OF DOCTORS, AMBULANCES AND WATER
FACILITIES TO COPE WITH THE CONFLICT. HE SAID THEY WERE NOT
PREPARED, HOWEVER, FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF OVER "15 PERCENT"
OF ACEH'S SCHOOLS, WHICH HE BLAMED ON THE SEPARATISTS. KALLA
SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE QUALITY
OF LIFE OF ACEHNESE, AS THE GAM MOVEMENT WOULD ONLY GAIN
STRENGTH FROM ANY DISAFFECTION TOWARDS THE CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT.


6. (C) KALLA SPOKE OF THE GOI'S CONTINUING EFFORTS TO COMBAT
HIV/AIDS, AND SAID THE NATIONAL STRATEGY WAS PROCEEDING
DESPITE SOME LOCAL OPPOSITION TO CONDOM USAGE OR PROMOTION.
A/S KELLY AGREED THAT EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE DISEASE MUST TAKE
ACCOUNT OF THE CULTURAL CONTEXT. HE ALSO EMPHASIZED THE NEED
TO ELIMINATE THE SCOURGE OF TRAFFICKING-IN-PERSONS, URGING
KALLA TO PRESS FOR LEGISLATION AS WELL AS INTERNAL MEASURES
TO IMPROVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTE TRAFFICKERS, EVEN
WHEN THEY ARE OFFICIALS OR PROTECTED.


7. (C) COMMENT: KALLA'S MOOD WAS RELAXED AND CONFIDENT. HE
TOOK PAINS TO WELCOME USG ENGAGEMENT WITH INDONESIA, CITING
AS AN EXAMPLE THE SUCCESS OF A COOPERATIVE PROGRAM WITH
EMBASSIES TO PROVIDE MILK TO SCHOOLCHILDREN - "THEY LIKE
RECEIVING THE CARTONS WITH THE AMERICAN FLAGS." KALLA
LIGHTHEARTEDLY CONCURRED THAT TODAY'S WALL STREET JOURNAL
ARTICLE ON INUL DARATISTA, AND THE POPULARITY OF HER RISQUE
DANCING, WAS "AN EXPRESSION BY THE PROVINCES" OF FREEDOM AND
BROAD-MINDEDNESS. "YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE TASTES OF THE
MASSES," HE SAID. "IF YOU TRY TO SUPPRESS SOMEONE, IT WILL
ONLY MAKE THEM MORE POPULAR."

POWELL