Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JAKARTA1823
2006-02-13 02:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR MEETS COORDINATING MINISTER BAKRIE

Tags:  TBIO AMED CASC EAGR PGOV SOCI KFLU ID 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3125
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #1823/01 0440225
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 130225Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9345
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUENMED/BUMED WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 8992
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0809
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1838
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 1702
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 2035
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3201
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0029
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0191
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 001823 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EAP/IET, A/MED AND S/ES-O
DEPT FOR OES/FO, OES/EID, OES/PCI, OES/STC AND OES/IHA
DEPT PASS TO USDA/FAS/DLP/HWETZEL AND FAS/ICD/LAIDIG
DEPT ALSO PASS TO USDA/FAS/FAA/DYOUNG AND USDA/APHIS
DEPT ALSO PASS TO USAID/ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/BILL STEIGER AND AMAR BHAT
PARIS FOR FAS/AG MINISTER COUNSELOR
CANBERRA FOR APHIS/DHANNAPEL
ROME FOR FAO
NSC FOR JMELINE
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR PGOV SOCI KFLU ID
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS COORDINATING MINISTER BAKRIE

REF: A) Jakarta 1139; B) Beijing 1431

JAKARTA 00001823 001.4 OF 003


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 001823

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EAP/IET, A/MED AND S/ES-O
DEPT FOR OES/FO, OES/EID, OES/PCI, OES/STC AND OES/IHA
DEPT PASS TO USDA/FAS/DLP/HWETZEL AND FAS/ICD/LAIDIG
DEPT ALSO PASS TO USDA/FAS/FAA/DYOUNG AND USDA/APHIS
DEPT ALSO PASS TO USAID/ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/BILL STEIGER AND AMAR BHAT
PARIS FOR FAS/AG MINISTER COUNSELOR
CANBERRA FOR APHIS/DHANNAPEL
ROME FOR FAO
NSC FOR JMELINE
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR PGOV SOCI KFLU ID
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS COORDINATING MINISTER BAKRIE

REF: A) Jakarta 1139; B) Beijing 1431

JAKARTA 00001823 001.4 OF 003



1. (SBU) Summary. Coordinating Minister for Peoples'
Welfare Aburizal Bakrie told the Ambassador on February 8
that, in his view, the Beijing avian influenza (AI)
conference had been a failure because Indonesia alone needs
at least USD 950 million to deal with AI, but would likely
only receive USD 150 million. He repeatedly requested USG
funding for two biosecurity level three (BSL-3) labs.
Bakrie also promised to lend support to the pending bill on
trafficking in women and children. The Ambassador
emphasized that close U.S. cooperation with Bakrie's
ministry would continue and said the Embassy would be
flexible in matching its aid programs to address the
Minister's agenda. The Ambassador also emphasized the
invaluable expertise and assistance offered by the Naval
Medical Research Unit (NAMRU-2). Bakrie seemed unusually
seized with the BSL-3 issue, and his claims about GOI avian
influenza (AI) funding needs and expectations of donor
assistance are probably unrealistic. End Summary.

USG Commitment Assured
--------------


2. (SBU) Accompanied by USAID Deputy Mission Director and
ESTH Officer, Ambassador met February 8 with the new
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie
to reaffirm USG support for his ministry's agenda. The
Ambassador began by thanking Bakrie for his excellent
collaboration with the Embassy during his tenure as
Coordinating Minister for the Economy and expressed
confidence that this would continue in his new capacity.

The Ambassador recalled the USAID's tradition of close
collaboration with the Coordinating Ministry of Peoples'
Welfare, especially in the areas of health, education, and
other basic social services.


3. (SBU) The Ambassador also highlighted U.S. financial and
technical assistance in the areas of polio and avian
influenza, including recent visits by experts from CDC
Atlanta and the Animal Plant and Health Service (APHIS). In
addition, he appealed for Bakrie's assistance in ensuring a
positive atmosphere for NAMRU-2 to continue its work in
Indonesia. The Ambassador commented that NAMRU-2 is an
irreplaceable medical resource with world-class personnel
and is an incredibly valuable resource in the fight against
AI and other infectious diseases. He noted the Embassy has
passed a proposed MOU to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for
consideration.

Bakrie Requests Aid
--------------


4. (SBU) Minister Bakrie began by recalling his good working
relations with the Ambassador during his tenure at his
previous job and said he expects this to continue. He
expressed gratitude for the Embassy's collaboration and the
USG's years of generous assistance to Indonesia and
acknowledged the importance of NAMRU-2's contribution to
fighting AI and other infectious diseases. He promised to
monitor closely the negotiations regarding NAMRU-2's status.

JAKARTA 00001823 002.4 OF 003


Bakrie asked USAID to review its assistance package vis--
vis his ministry's shifting priorities. The Ambassador
responded that the Embassy would be flexible since its
mission is to help Indonesia develop into a peaceful,
successful and prosperous nation.


5. (SBU) Bakrie also used the occasion to repeatedly plead
for USG funding for BSL-3 labs. He stressed that it is
important for Indonesia to acquire these labs and suggested
a reconfigured USAID budget might accommodate this. USAID
Deputy Director Cunnane also mentioned willingness to be
flexible when programming additional funds for AI, but noted
USAID's limited budget. Bakrie said the GOI needed USD 10
million to fund two labs: one at the University of Indonesia
in Jakarta and the other at the Bogor Institute of
Agriculture. (Note: The latter seems better prepared in
personnel and infrastructure to absorb such a major and
costly upgrade). The Ambassador noted that governments
often must weigh how much to fund worthwhile but expensive
labs versus basic infrastructure. For instance, the
Ambassador noted that polio's reappearance in Indonesia
after a decade's absence reflects the dangers posed by a
neglected national health infrastructure, although he
admitted that Indonesia's polio problem is also partly due
to the challenges posed by decentralized power. He said he
understood that Japan and Indonesia were interested in
building BSL-3 labs through the Ministry of Agriculture, a
possibility that elicited a Bakrie scoff about "high-cost"
loans.

Beijing Conference "a Failure?"
--------------


6. (SBU) Bakrie also bemoaned the "failure" of the donor
pledging conference in Beijing (Ref B),noting that while
the World Bank was pleased with the USD 1.9 billion pledged
for five years, Indonesia alone needed at least USD 950
million to deal with avian influenza (AI). He confided that
while his government had hoped for USD 700 million, rumor
had it that Indonesia would probably receive USD 150 million
over three years, a sum he dismissed as "peanuts". He added
that the GOI planned to budget USD 150 million over three
years to address avian influenza. (Note: The Ministry of
Agriculture received USD 11.5 and 19.9 million for AI in
2005 and 2006 respectively (Ref A),and we believe the
Health Ministry's AI budget could be on the same order of
magnitude. End Note.)

Other Issues
--------------


7. (SBU) The Ambassador also took the opportunity to invite
the Minister to the launching February 15 of USAID-funded
"Safe Water Systems" (Aman Tirta) project or Air RahMat. The
project provides simple low-cost technology to treat water
and is designed to purify water at the household level.
Bakrie accepted the invitation, noting that it was indeed a
worthwhile program. The Ambassador also urged Bakrie to
support the pending bill on trafficking in women and
children, which he said was a very good bill that enjoyed
support in parliament (the DPR). Bakrie promised to lend

JAKARTA 00001823 003.4 OF 003


support to the bill. In closing, the Ambassador reiterated
the Embassy's commitment to stay the course in helping
Indonesia and promised that the Embassy would remain mindful
of the GOI shifting socioeconomic priorities in designing
its assistance package.


8. (SBU) Comment: Bakrie is new to his job, and we take his
comments about the Beijing conference with a grain of salt.
His approach to discussions with donors about resources
shows the influence of his long experience in dealing with
international creditors as a businessman--he often throws
very large numbers on the table with the full understanding
that the final figure will be much more modest.

PASCOE