ASEAN SECRETARY GENERAL MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR HUME

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001931 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR EAP/RSP, EAP/MTS AND EB/IFD/OMA DEPT FOR EAP/EP ANDRE TREASURY FOR IA-BAUKOL COMMERCE FOR SBERLINGUETTE USTR FOR DKATZ E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL ID SUBJECT: ASEAN SECRETARY GENERAL MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR HUME ¶1. (SBU) Summary and Action Request. Ambassador Hume paid a courtesy call on ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng Yong on July 12 to discuss cooperation between ASEAN and the United States. Both Ambassador Hume and Secretary General Ong expressed regret at the postponement of the ASEAN-US Summit, but they also confirmed their commitment to maintaining a strong partnership. Secretary General Ong noted that Indonesia has assumed a stronger leadership role within ASEAN in recent years after a period of lessened engagement during the financial crisis and its aftermath. Action Request: Post requests Department's assistance in identifying ASEAN-US agreements, projects or other forms of cooperation that are close to completion that we could push forward as symbols of our strong partnership with ASEAN. End Summary. SecGen Ong Regrets Summit Postponement -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Hume paid a courtesy call on ASEAN Secretary General Ong Kong Yong on July 12 to discuss cooperation between ASEAN and the United States. Ambassador Hume extended his sincere regret that the United States has had to explore an alternative date for the ASEAN-US Summit to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the ASEAN-US Dialogue. Ambassador Hume noted that the USG remains committed to enhancing our partnership with ASEAN. Secretary General Ong expressed disappointment that ASEAN and the US would not be able to hold the Summit on September 5 in Singapore as planned. However, the Secretary General also expressed hope that all ten ASEAN member countries and the United States could find an alternative date, noting that a date in 2008 would be acceptable if it is still within 12 months of September 2007, the actual 30th Anniversary. Ong also said that he has cautioned his staff and the ASEAN member countries not to let the postponement of the Summit undermine strong progress made in recent years on ASEAN-US cooperation. Indonesia Assumes Greater Leadership Role in ASEAN -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Secretary General Ong noted that Indonesia has assumed a stronger leadership role within ASEAN in recent years after a period of restrained engagement during the financial crisis and its aftermath. In Ong's view, Indonesia's interest in moving ASEAN's agenda forward is an important aspect of ASEAN's ability to realize an ASEAN community by 2015. Ong also noted that when Indonesia or other large countries become more assertive within ASEAN, the other countries resentment can manifest in the excessive use of bureaucratic process and slower decision-making. ¶4. (U) Indonesia highlighted its commitment to transforming ASEAN into a unified community in a series of events on July 13-14 to commemorate ASEAN's 40th anniversary. Embassy representatives attended the GOI-sponsored ASEAN Youth Ambassador Competition final on July 12 and the ASEAN Festival on July 13, both of which received wide local media coverage. The Youth Ambassador Contest judges required the twenty extremely articulate finalists to answer tough questions on their vision of ASEAN and Indonesia's role within ASEAN. The judges selected one female student, Kinanti Kusumawardani Taufik, 21, and one male student, Yoes Chandra Kenawas, 22, as the official ASEAN Youth Ambassadors, who will travel within Indonesia and ASEAN, as well as to Japan, to promote ASEAN among young people. Some of Indonesia's foremost scholars and leaders, including Presidential Spokesman Dino Jalal, judged the event. Action Request -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Post requests Department's assistance in identifying any ASEAN-US agreements, projects or other forms of cooperation that are close to completion that we can push along and use as symbols of our strong partnership with ASEAN. Embassy believes we need to find ways to emphasize our commitment to ASEAN-US cooperation through concrete examples of our ongoing engagement as soon as possible. HUME