DEFENSE COOPERATION -- INDONESIAN NAVY CHIEF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002893 SIPDIS SIPDIS DOD FOR DSCA DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, S/CT, EAP/MLS INR FOR CHARLIE ZENZIE, HEIDI PANETTA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2017 TAGS: PREL PHSA MASS MARR ID SUBJECT: DEFENSE COOPERATION -- INDONESIAN NAVY CHIEF EXPRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT COASTAL RADARS REF: JAKARTA 2725 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (U) This is an Action Request -- Please see para 7. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: CDA recently discussed the proposed USG 1206 program placement of coastal radars in the Sulawesi Sea area with Hashim Jalal, an influential Indonesian expert on the Law of the Sea. Jalal explained that the top Indonesian naval commander, ADM Soebijanto, has serious reservations about the program. Soebijanto will shortly be traveling to the U.S. for a U.S. Navy symposium; Mission requests that he receive a full briefing on the program. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (C) NAVY CONCERNS: CDA recently discussed eight coastal radars the USG hopes to fund under the 1206 program in FY-2007 with Hashim Jalal, a former high-level diplomat, expert on the Law of the Sea, and adviser to the Indonesian Navy Chief. Jalal explained that Admiral Slamet Soebijanto, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy, has serious concerns about the placement of the proposed radars. (Note: Soebijanto is pleased with the Malacca Straits aspect of the program, favorably mentioning in a recent speech USG assistance in developing that regional system.) ¶4. (C) According to Jalal, ADM Soebijanto has four primary concerns: 1) the land-based radars have a limited range (25 nautical miles); 2) there are only eight radars to cover 400 miles of coastline, so there will be large gaps in coverage; 3) the possibility that the USG might be able to use the coastal radars to gather intelligence against Indonesia; and, 4) the USG's record as an "unreliable arms supplier" because of legislative restrictions on military assistance to the Indonesian military (TNI). ¶5. (C) Re the last point, ADM Soebijanto mentioned his reservations about USG reliability to supply spare parts for the radars to Mission's Naval Attache on October 1. ADM Soebijanto cited three examples in the past of what he claimed was unreliable support from the USG: 1) the Indonesian Navy,s purchase of German-built diesel submarines with a U.S. system onboard. The Indonesian Navy has not been able to acquire replacement parts for that system; 2) the purchase of Corvette-class patrol boats from the Netherlands with U.S. systems onboard and not being able to acquire replacement parts for them; and 3) earlier this year, ADM Soebijanto said he met with U.S. Naval contacts and requested patrol boats instead of the planned Sulawesi land-based radars. ADM Soebijanto stated he was informed that the U.S. Congress had reservations about the sale to the Indonesian Navy of such boats. In Soebijanto's view, all of this proves that there is still a de facto embargo on U.S. cooperation with the Indonesian military. ¶6. (C) PROBLEMS WITH COOPERATION: The Office of the Defense Attache and Office of Defense Cooperation frequently encounter resentment within the TNI due to the previous USG policy of restricting sales of military equipment, data and spare parts. The USG restrictions are usually cited by senior TNI officers as the reason for the TNI's low readiness. The Indonesian Navy is generally the most difficult military branch with which to coordinate assistance due to its suspicion of the West, especially the U.S. Compare this with the attitude of the Indonesian Air Force (reftel). ¶7. (C) ACTION REQUEST: ADM Soebijanto is scheduled to travel to the U.S. October 15-19 to attend the International Sea Power Symposium in Newport, Rhode Island. Mission is aware that a meeting has been arranged between the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) ADM Roughead and ADM Soebijanto during the symposium. Mission suggests CNO reassure ADM Soebijanto of U.S. support for the TNI, specifically addressing the capabilities of the radar system and the support the USG will provide for the systems in the Sulawesi Sea area in trying to JAKARTA 00002893 002 OF 002 assuage Soebijanto's concerns. Mission also suggests USPACOM Commander, ADM Keating, meet with ADM Soebijanto during ADM Keating,s scheduled visit to Indonesia in November. END ACTION REQUEST. HEFFERN