PRESSING INDONESIA TO DO MORE TO ISOLATE BURMESE

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 002755 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL, IO E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ID BM SUBJECT: PRESSING INDONESIA TO DO MORE TO ISOLATE BURMESE REGIME REF: JAKARTA 2737 Classified By: John Heffern, Charge d'Affaires, reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) On September 28, CDA spoke to Imron Cotan, Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) SecGen (second-in-charge of the ministry). CDA expressed appreciation for FM Wirajuda's recent statement urging the regime to exercise restraint (reftel),as well as for the joint ASEAN statement issued on September 27. CDA urged that the GOI continue to explore and use all avenues to pressure the Burmese regime to end the violence and to open a dialogue with the opposition. Indonesia, as East Asia's largest democracy and a leader in ASEAN, has a particularly vital role to play on this issue. ¶2. (C) Cotan responded that Indonesia absolutely supports UN Special Envoy Gambari's planned travel to Burma as soon as possible. Indonesia also firmly supports UN engagement on the matter given its disappointment with its own bilateral efforts. Continuing, Cotan said the question is what UN fora should focus on the situation. Indonesia does not think this is a UNSC Article 7-type issue because Burma does not--in the Indonesian view--pose a threat to the region. However, Indonesia believes this is very much a UN Human Rights Council issue given the gross violations clearly taking place. Indonesia supports bringing Burma up at the UNHRC and working with other member-states in that body to condemn the regime. HEFFERN