SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON STATE SECRETARY:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002446 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP, EAP/MLS, OES, EB E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV SENV ENRG PINR ID SUBJECT: SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON STATE SECRETARY: PORT SECURITY; CLIMATE CHANGE; ENERGY Classified By: AMBASSADOR CAMERON R. HUME for reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see Para 7. ¶2. (C) Summary: On September 4, Ambassador Hume paid a courtesy call on Minister of the State Secretary Hatta Rajasa, who serves as the gatekeeper for nearly every issue that goes before President Yudhoyono. The Minister emphasized his desire to continue the close cooperation with the U.S. Embassy he enjoyed as Transportation Minister (2004-07). The Minister also raised cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard, climate change, and energy. The Ambassador stressed the importance of keeping broader environmental goals in mind and not just focusing on the Kyoto Treaty, an inclusive approach that the Minister said he personally supported. End Summary. ¶3. (SBU) During Ambassador Hume's September 4 courtesy call, the Minister told the Ambassador that, having worked closely with the Federal Aviation Authority and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) while Transportation Minister, he sought to increase cooperation with the U.S. Embassy. He asked about the timetable for TSA to decide about lifting the public notice on Bali's Denpassar airport. The Minister emphasized his desire to continue cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard in the Malacca Straits and various Indonesian seaports, saying that he supported not only security improvements, but also skills transfer to help develop Indonesia's human resources. The Ambassador responded that a Coast Guard team would soon be returning to Indonesia and that the U.S. was committed to helping Indonesia meet international safety and security standards. ¶4. (C) The Minister noted that Indonesia would host a UN summit on global climate change in Bali in December. He explained that Indonesia was focused on reforestation programs and asked the Ambassador for U.S. views. The Ambassador pointed out that no single answer would prove to be a panacea and stressed that cooperating partners with the same end goals could opt for different approaches. The challenge, however, was for the international community to get the best result through coordination and cooperation. In this regard, the Bali Summit should ensure that nations could move forward whether they were able to sign on to the Kyoto Treaty or not. The Minister indicated that he personally supported this inclusive approach. The Ambassador also told the Minister that the U.S. could assist reforestation efforts and stated that coal-reliant nations, including Indonesia and the U.S., needed to cooperate to develop better clean coal options. ¶5. (SBU) The Minister cited statistics indicating that demand for electricity consumption in Indonesia was rising at a rate of eight percent annually, adding that only 60 percent of the population had access. He said Indonesia lacked sufficient oil and gas for its future needs, and pointed out that the technology did not yet exist to utilize cleanly Indonesia's coal reserves, which he claimed would last one hundred years. Nevertheless, he said, nuclear power was not popular, and he anticipated it would be 10 to 15 years before the public would accept a nuclear power plant. The Minister also briefly touched upon Indonesia's bio-diesel fuel program, but noted that palm oil prices shot up as a result of oil being diverted to the program. ¶5. (SBU) The Ambassador briefly raised U.S. plans to build a new Embassy and possible land title questions that may be holding up the approval process. The Minister promised to check with the relevant ministries, saying that it was only fitting that the U.S. had a modern embassy. ¶6. (SBU) Bio Notes: The Minister told the Ambassador that prior to his political career he had frequently visited the U.S., particularly Houston, to procure drilling rigs for the oil company he founded and managed (Arthindo). He looked forward to attending the United Nations General Assembly along with President Yudhoyono this month, and hoped he would have the opportunity to reconnect with Ambassador Pascoe. He also mentioned that his son had recently graduated with an undergraduate degree from Drexel University in Philadelphia and will soon return to Drexel for postgraduate work. The JAKARTA 00002446 002 OF 002 Minister speaks accented, but near fluent English. ¶7. (SBU) Action Request: Mission requests information on TSA decision to lift the public notice on Denpassar airport in Bali. HUME