Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07JAKARTA2956
2007-10-22 10:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:
BURMA -- INDONESIA LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SUPPORT
how-toVZCZCXRO5680 OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHJA #2956 2951053 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 221053Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6755 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 1401 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 0994 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 7668 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0718 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1411 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 1912 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 002956
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS (COPE),IO, IO/UNP (WICKBERG)
NSC FOR EPHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ID BM
SUBJECT: BURMA -- INDONESIA LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SUPPORT
GAMBARI'S MISSION
REF: A. STATE 146862
B. JAKARTA 2946 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador Cameron R. Hume for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 002956
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS (COPE),IO, IO/UNP (WICKBERG)
NSC FOR EPHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ID BM
SUBJECT: BURMA -- INDONESIA LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SUPPORT
GAMBARI'S MISSION
REF: A. STATE 146862
B. JAKARTA 2946 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador Cameron R. Hume for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: On October 22, the Ambassador briefed
Secretary General Cotan on the USG's expanded sanctions on
SIPDIS
Burma and urged the Indonesian government to maintain
pressure on the Burmese regime. Indonesia remains frustrated
with the lack of progress in Burma, but does not have a clear
vision of what to do next, apart from supporting UN Special
Envoy Ibrahim Gambari's mission. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) UPDATING GOI: Ambassador Hume delivered Ref A demarche
October 22 to Secretary General Imron Cotan, the second
highest-ranking official at the Department of Foreign Affairs
(DEPLU). The Ambassador explained that the USG viewed
sanctions as a key tool to compel the Burmese regime to
cooperate with Special Envoy Gambari, begin a dialogue with
the democratic opposition and undertake democratic reforms.
He urged Indonesia to look for ways to help press the Burmese
regime to move in the right direction.
3. (C) INDONESIA FRUSTRATED: Echoing other Indonesian
officials we have spoken with recently, SecGen Cotan said
Indonesia agreed it was necessary to press the regime, but
said ASEAN members had not reached a consensus on how to
proceed. ASEAN did not want Burma to be a liability to the
organization and had frequently criticized the regime's
actions in private to Burmese representatives. Cotan
suggested that the Burmese regime was "overconfident" because
it believed CHINA and Russia would block any strong UN
action. Convincing these two countries to pressure the
regime would be critical to success, according to Cotan.
4. (C) ALL EYES ON GAMBARI: The Ambassador asked about the
possibility of appointing a senior-level ASEAN envoy on Burma
to coordinate with Gambari. Without dismissing the idea,
Cotan replied that Indonesia saw Gambari as the "point man"
on the issue and would focus its efforts on supporting his
mission. However, Gambari could only be effective if he were
supported by countries powerful enough to compel Burmese
action. Toward that end, Cotan suggested that an ad hoc
group of countries -- China, Japan, India and several key
ASEAN members -- could assist Gambari. The purpose of the
group would be to coordinate pressure on the regime to admit
Gambari as soon as possible and allow him free access to all
interlocutors in Burma. The Ambassador agreed that a support
group, like the idea recently discussed at the UN, could be
an effective mechanism for coordinating pressure on the
regime. He cautioned that any steps should be designed to
support Gambari's mission.
HUME
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS (COPE),IO, IO/UNP (WICKBERG)
NSC FOR EPHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ID BM
SUBJECT: BURMA -- INDONESIA LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SUPPORT
GAMBARI'S MISSION
REF: A. STATE 146862
B. JAKARTA 2946 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador Cameron R. Hume for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: On October 22, the Ambassador briefed
Secretary General Cotan on the USG's expanded sanctions on
SIPDIS
Burma and urged the Indonesian government to maintain
pressure on the Burmese regime. Indonesia remains frustrated
with the lack of progress in Burma, but does not have a clear
vision of what to do next, apart from supporting UN Special
Envoy Ibrahim Gambari's mission. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) UPDATING GOI: Ambassador Hume delivered Ref A demarche
October 22 to Secretary General Imron Cotan, the second
highest-ranking official at the Department of Foreign Affairs
(DEPLU). The Ambassador explained that the USG viewed
sanctions as a key tool to compel the Burmese regime to
cooperate with Special Envoy Gambari, begin a dialogue with
the democratic opposition and undertake democratic reforms.
He urged Indonesia to look for ways to help press the Burmese
regime to move in the right direction.
3. (C) INDONESIA FRUSTRATED: Echoing other Indonesian
officials we have spoken with recently, SecGen Cotan said
Indonesia agreed it was necessary to press the regime, but
said ASEAN members had not reached a consensus on how to
proceed. ASEAN did not want Burma to be a liability to the
organization and had frequently criticized the regime's
actions in private to Burmese representatives. Cotan
suggested that the Burmese regime was "overconfident" because
it believed CHINA and Russia would block any strong UN
action. Convincing these two countries to pressure the
regime would be critical to success, according to Cotan.
4. (C) ALL EYES ON GAMBARI: The Ambassador asked about the
possibility of appointing a senior-level ASEAN envoy on Burma
to coordinate with Gambari. Without dismissing the idea,
Cotan replied that Indonesia saw Gambari as the "point man"
on the issue and would focus its efforts on supporting his
mission. However, Gambari could only be effective if he were
supported by countries powerful enough to compel Burmese
action. Toward that end, Cotan suggested that an ad hoc
group of countries -- China, Japan, India and several key
ASEAN members -- could assist Gambari. The purpose of the
group would be to coordinate pressure on the regime to admit
Gambari as soon as possible and allow him free access to all
interlocutors in Burma. The Ambassador agreed that a support
group, like the idea recently discussed at the UN, could be
an effective mechanism for coordinating pressure on the
regime. He cautioned that any steps should be designed to
support Gambari's mission.
HUME