Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07JAKARTA1171
2007-04-26 07:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:  

INDONESIA - TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM UPDATE

Tags:  TPSL AEMR TPHY KSCA ECON PREL ID 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7762
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #1171/01 1160729
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260729Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4494
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0695
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0491
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001171 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

AIDAC

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MTS, OES/FO AND OES/IET/ETC/OA/EGC
DEPT PASS TO DEPT OF INTERIOR/USGS
DEPT ALSO PASS TO DEPT OF COMMERCE/NOAA

TAGS: TPSL AEMR TPHY KSCA ECON PREL ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA - TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001171

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

AIDAC

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MTS, OES/FO AND OES/IET/ETC/OA/EGC
DEPT PASS TO DEPT OF INTERIOR/USGS
DEPT ALSO PASS TO DEPT OF COMMERCE/NOAA

TAGS: TPSL AEMR TPHY KSCA ECON PREL ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA - TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM UPDATE


1. (SBU) Summary. The Government of Indonesia (GOI) continues to
make progress on developing an Indonesia Tsunami Warning System
(ITWS). The Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology
(BPPT) test launched an early warning buoy (tsunameter) on April 10,
and the Ministry of Research and Technology (MENRISTEK) is
identifying partners to help finance essential elements of the
system. During the week of April 16, officials from the Australian
Bureau of Meterology told a visiting National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) official that Australia is
interested in formally or informally cooperating with Indonesia and
the United States with a focus on tsunami warning operations,
technology exchange, and capacity building. End Summary.

Indonesian Tsunameter Development and Deployment
-------------- --------------


2. (SBU) On April 10, BPPT under the direction of MENRISTEK launched
Indonesia's first domestically produced tsunameter. Numerous press
articles deemed the launch successful. On April 20, Ridwan
Djamaluddin, a senior BPPT official, told us that BPPT briefly
placed the tsunameter in the water, but did not fully deploy it
because of equipment failure on the launch vessel. BPPT has
rescheduled deployment for the week of 23 April.


3. (SBU) Indonesia's tsunameter draws from elements of the U.S. Deep
Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) II system, the
German research and development design, and other tsunameter
configurations. BPPT began development of the initial tsunameter in
August 2006 and it is one of two research and development
tsunameters of this configuration that BPPT plans to build. If BPPT

SIPDIS
proves the design is effective, the tsunameter will become part of
the operational network. BPPT expects to build 4-5 more tsunameters
to a new design for deployment by November 2007. Although BPPT
management acknowledges this is an optimistic goal, the agency
considers deployment of domestically produced tsunameters as
important to the success of an Indonesian Tsunami Warning System
that would also include U.S. and German technology.

Indonesian TWS Funding Requirements
--------------


4. (SBU) Pariatmono, Assistant to the Deputy Minister for Analysis
of Science and Technology confided in us on April 20 that MENRISTEK
has already invested in approximately USD 40 million in GOI funds to
develop the ITWS. The GOI estimates that the full ITWS system will
likely cost USD 120 million or more. Pariatmono said GOI will seek
additional funding partners through the international donor
community. He added that, MENRISTEK, in its role as the overall
TEWS architect, is also developing a concept to install cabled
pressure sensors (such as those that are the core of the Japanese
tsunami detection system) off Sumatra connected to an internet

SIPDIS
backbone that the Ministry of Communication and Information
Technology is building primarily for commercial purposes.

5.(SBU) Pariatmono shared passages from a new agreement between
Germany and Japan on how these governments will offer assistance to
Indonesia in tsunami warning center decision support systems. The
Germans are offering the decision support system as a key part under
the German-Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System project. They
designed the decision support system to integrate data from multiple
sources and help GOI determine whether to issue a warning. Japan is
also investing in this area.

Australian Interest in Trilateral Cooperation
-------------- -


6. (U) During the week of April 16, officials from the Australian
Bureau of Meterology told a visiting NOAA official that Australia is
interested in formal or informal trilateral cooperation with
Indonesia and the United States focused on tsunami warning
operations, technology exchange, and capacity building. Indonesia
and Australia have a common interest in tsunameters deployed south
of Java and Bali. The Australians are therefore committed to
working closely with Indonesia to ensure that Australian Tsunami
Warning System activities in that region are coordinated fully with
the Indonesian system.


7. (U) As a matter of policy, Australia views the Australian Tsunami
Warning System as consisting of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and
Mitigation System (IOTWS),the Pacific Tsunami Warning and
Mitigation System, and its own tsunami warning system. Australia has
a special interest in the success of the Indonesian Tsunami Early
Warning System as a significant component of the IOTWS.


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HEFFERN