YOGYAKARTA EVENT HIGHLIGHTS U.S.-ASEAN TIES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002393 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/RSP, EAP/MLS and EAP/MTS DEPT PASS USTR FOR KATZ AND BROOKS DEPT FOR EB/IFD/OMA DEPT ALSO FOR OES/IET AND OES/ETC/TED TREASURY FOR IA-SETH SEARLS COMMERCE FOR 4430/[GOLIKE] E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: PREL ECON PGOV KPAO ID SUBJECT: YOGYAKARTA EVENT HIGHLIGHTS U.S.-ASEAN TIES ¶1. (U) Summary: The GOI's Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) and Gadjah Mada University hosted an August 29 seminar in Yogyakarta celebrating 30 years of U.S.-ASEAN ties. Pol/C and Econ/C outlined strong U.S. support for the continued development of close political and economic ties between ASEAN and the U.S. The seminar included a lively q&a session with active participation from the student audience. End Summary. ¶2. (U) SPOTLIGHT ON COOPERATION: On August 29, the Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs and Gadjah Mada University (UGM),one of the Indonesia's leading schools, hosted a seminar entitled "ASEAN-U.S. Enhanced Partnership: The Way Forward." International relations students from UGM and surrounding universities attended the seminar, which was timed to commemorate 30 years of U.S.-ASEAN dialogue. The audience included scholars and students from other ASEAN nations, as well as from China, Japan and South Korea. ¶3. (U) DEPLU Director General for ASEAN affairs Dian Triansyah Djani, UGM Dean for Faculty of Social Studies and Politics Dr. Mohtar Mas'oed, and the Regional Secretary of the Office of the Governor of Yogyakarta, Tri Harjun Ismadi, opened the seminar. (Note: The Sultan of Yogyakarta, who also serves as governor, was supposed to participate, but was unable to make the event.) All three emphasized the importance of ASEAN engagement with the United States and the need to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the area of scholarships and student exchanges. ¶4. (U) U.S. COMMITMENT: Pol/C and Econ/C, speaking during separate panel sessions, described the development of substantial political and economic ties between ASEAN and the U.S. over the past 30 years. Pol/C underlined that the United States views ASEAN as a key to peace and stability in the region. He noted the agreement for further cooperation cemented in the Joint Vision Statement on the ASEAN-U.S. Enhanced Partnership signed in November 2005. Pol/C also underscored that support for cooperation with ASEAN is also manifested in the U.S. Congress where Senator Lugar introduced Senate Resolution 110 earlier this year, marking the 30th anniversary of the Dialogue Relationship. ¶5. (U) Econ/C, during the session on economic and development cooperation, observed that ASEAN, with a combined population surpassed only by China and India, possessed a growing middle class and a skilled workforce. The region served as an important trade partner for the U.S. He pointed out that the U.S. shares ASEAN's goals of creating an integrated economic community, and maintaining a stable and prosperous economic environment in Southeast Asia. He also underlined support for the ASEAN-U.S. TIFA and the USAID ADVANCE program. ¶6. (U) OTHER REMARKS: Bagas Hapsoro, DEPLU's Director for ASEAN Dialogue Partners and Inter-Regional Affairs, highlighted five areas of U.S.-ASEAN interest: -- (1) the fight against terrorism; -- (2) the promotion of democracy and the empowerment of people; -- (3) response to natural disasters; -- (4) energy and environmental conservation; and, -- (5) education and other people-to-people exchanges. He encouraged the U.S. to continue to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN in these areas, particularly in the field of educational exchanges. ¶6. (U) Bala Kumar Palaniappan, an external relations official from the ASEAN Secretariat, also spoke at the event. Palaniappan, a Malaysian, noted the strengthening of U.S.-ASEAN cooperation in recent years, as well as the need to further expand ties. ¶7. (U) Q&A: The seminar included lively questions from the audience. The students directed most of their questions at the U.S. participants. Question topics ranged from requests for more scholarships, to the importance of a continued U.S. presence in the region, to criticism of U.S. foreign policy, including in relation to Iraq. Students also asked whether the U.S. felt threatened by China and why the U.S. has not signed the Kyoto Protocol on JAKARTA 00002393 002 OF 002 greenhouse gases. HUME