INDONESIA SENDING OUT CLIMATE ENVOYS BEFORE BALI COP-13

UNCLAS JAKARTA 003059 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR G, OES, AND EAP NSC FOR CEQ CONNAUGHTON, VAN DYKE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV KGHG ECON PREL ID SUBJECT: INDONESIA SENDING OUT CLIMATE ENVOYS BEFORE BALI COP-13 ¶1. (U) The Government of Indonesia (GOI) will be sending four senior climate change envoys to a number of key countries, including the U.S., in order to sound out other governments' positions and gather input for December's conference in Bali. All four are advisors to Minister of Environment Rachmat Witoelar. In the press, Witoelar said the envoys would meet with top leaders, including presidents or prime ministers of the targeted countries. The envoys and their designated countries are: -- Former foreign minister Ali Alatas (India and Saudi Arabia); -- Former environment minister and Indonesian head of delegation for COP-13, Dr. Emil Salim (China and Japan); -- Former environment minister Nabiel Makarim (E.U. and Russia); and -- Former ambassador to the U.S. Sumadi Brotodiningrat (U.S., Canada, and Brazil). ¶2. (SBU) We understand that Ambassador Brotodiningrat will travel to the U.S., Canada, and Brazil, on November 19-23, and we will provide additional details when they become available. The other three envoys are also likely to travel to their designated countries in mid-to-late November. ¶3. (SBU) According to our Ministry of Environment contacts, the Minister of Foreign Affairs issued a decree (Decree No. 13), outlining the general mandate of these "Special Envoys": -- To gather substantive input from targeted countries to ensure the success of COP-13; -- To request supplementary financial support from donor countries and international organizations for the GOI's COP-13 budget; and -- To seek out partnerships related to capacity building and environmentally friendly technologies. ¶4. (SBU) The GOI held an initial planning meeting on November 2 to discuss their envoys' missions. However, they will only finalize details after President Yudhoyono chairs a preparatory meeting with the COP-13 Steering and Organizing Committees in Bali within the next two weeks. In the meantime, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent cables to Indonesian diplomatic missions in the target countries instructing them to begin arranging tentative schedules for the envoys. HUME