AMBASSADOR HUME'S COURTESY CALL ON FM WIRAJUDA

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001816

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV ID
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR HUME'S COURTESY CALL ON FM WIRAJUDA


Classified By: Ambassador Cameron R. Hume, for reason 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a July 3 courtesy call on Indonesian
Foreign Minister Wirajuda as part of the process of
presenting ambassadorial credentials, Ambassador Hume
highlighted common interests of the two countries, pledged to
strengthen the bilateral relationship and commended Indonesia
for its progress since 1998 and its religious toleration.
Wirajuda welcomed Ambassador Hume's arrival after a
considerable hiatus following Ambassador Pascoe's departure,
said the U.S.-Indonesia relationship was important,
underscored Indonesia's established tradition of moderate
Islam and expressed appreciation for U.S. assistance,
particularly in combating terrorism. Ambassador's formal
presentation of credentials to President Yudhoyono has yet to
be scheduled. End summary.


2. (C) FM Wirajuda welcomed Ambassador Hume, said the
Indonesian government looked forward to working with the
Embassy under his direction and underscored the importance of
the bilateral relationship. Ambassador echoed Wirajuda's
sentiments and pledged to work to strengthen that
relationship. President Bush and President Yudhoyono had a
strong relationship, he said. The United States and
Indonesia shared many common concerns, including justice,
democracy, the welfare of their peoples, the rule of law,
security and international cooperation. There would be ample
opportunity to cooperate in these and other areas.


3. (C) Wirajuda related the importance of the building in
which they were meeting. It was called the Pancasila
building because it was the place where the early republic's
founders had deliberated on the country's state philosophy,
which had became known as Pancasila (Five Principles). The
building had also been the site of deliberations after World
War II on the republic's first constitution. These
deliberations had included the question of whether Indonesia
should become an Islamic republic. Despite the fact that the
vast majority of the population was Muslim, the majority of
the people had favored a secular state. Indonesia had chosen
the middle ground: there was no official state religion, but
the government was assigned a role in promoting religious
life. Accordingly, the Department of Religion had a division
for each major religion represented in Indonesian society.


4. (C) In the decades that followed, Wirajuda noted, some
Indonesians had still clung to the notion of an Islamic state
and the rule of sharia law, and periodically some had
endorsed violence to achieve those ends. In a sense, Jemaah
Islamiyah terrorists were a continuation of that tendency,
despite their broader regional presence. The overwhelming
majority of Indonesian Muslims had remained moderate, and
terrorism was not gaining ground. Indonesia appreciated the
assistance that the United States and other partners had
provided to Indonesia in combating terrorism. The success of
these collective efforts, however, ultimately depended not
only on capturing and prosecuting the terrorists, but also on
strengthening moderate Islamic forces. After September 11
the moderates had grown quiet, but recently they had begun to
find their voice again, and Indonesia had sponsored a number
of conferences and interfaith dialogues in an effort to
bridge differences within Islam as well as between Islam and
other religions. Indonesia had also just finished hosting a
major conference on police counterterrorism training.
Indonesia was becoming more open-minded, both at home and
toward its international partners.


5. (C) Ambassador Hume pointed out that all U.S. money bore
the words "In God We Trust" and that founding documents of
the United States often spoke of "one nation under God," yet
in none of these references did we ever say who God was.
Religion served an important function in many societies as an
organizing principle for understanding the world around us.
Ambassador related that he had spent most of his time
overseas since 1968 in Islamic countries and had witnessed
the religious fervor of many Muslims. Fervor was not a
threat, but violence was unacceptable as a means of advancing
religious ends. Washington appreciated the strides Indonesia
had made since 1998 on democracy, rule of law,
counterterrorism and security, and Indonesia should explain
this progress to the two Congressional delegations (Payne and
Faleomaveaga) that were in town this week. Indonesia had a
good story to tell and should tell it, he stressed.


6. (U) Ambassador will present his credentials to President
Yudhoyono through a formal ceremony which has not yet been
scheduled.


7. (C) COMMENT: President Bush has announced plans to
appoint a U.S. ambassador to the Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC). Given Indonesia's importance as the
world's largest Muslim democracy and the example Indonesia
can set as a beacon of moderate Islam within the Islamic
world, we believe the first stop of the future U.S. envoy to
the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) should be
Jakarta.
HUME