NUCLEAR EXPORT CONTROLS -- JOINT USG-INDONESIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 003090

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PM, PM/EXBS, ISN/CPI, EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/ANP
NCS FOR E.PHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2017
TAGS: PREL ETTC ENRG KNNP ID
SUBJECT: NUCLEAR EXPORT CONTROLS -- JOINT USG-INDONESIA
WORKSHOP KICKS OFF


Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In November 6 opening remarks to a
USG-sponsored training workshop on nuclear export controls,
Pol/C underscored the regional and global importance of
effective nonproliferation safeguards. The Deputy Chair of
the Indonesian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (BAPATEN) reviewed
Indonesia's progress in ratifying IAEA and international
protocols. The three-day event--which is part of the USG's
Export Control and Border Security (EXBS) assistance
program--highlights Indonesia's commitment to working with
the U.S. in this key area. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) AN ONGOING PROGRAM: Pol/C kicked off the November
6-8 workshop, underscoring the importance of continued
USG-Indonesia cooperation in the nuclear export controls
area. Pol/C noted that the U.S. sought to work with the GOI
to enhance its strategic trade systems and enforcement
mechanisms. Many governments had discovered that robust
export controls actually enhanced trade by increasing
partners' confidence that their exports and shipments reached
their intended destination and did not end up in the hands of
proliferators.


3. (C) The workshop--which is focused on commodity
identification training for Indonesia's interagency nuclear
regulatory community--builds upon previous EXBS events over
the past year, including Washington consultations for senior
Indonesian policy officials and seaport interdiction training
in Jakarta. Follow-on activities are planned on WMD
commodity identification, proliferation awareness, legal and
legislative regimes and maritime security. Indonesia's
relevance to EXBS lies in its location along important sea
lanes and its growing domestic nuclear sector. The U.S.
interagency team of instructors includes an Australian
government representative as part of a coordinated assistance
effort. EXBS Regional Coordinator attended from Kuala
Lumpur. Approximately 50 Indonesians are participating.


4. (SBU) FOCUS ON COMPLIANCE: BAPATEN Deputy Chair Suhartono
Zahir, who is the official responsible for licensing and
inspection of Indonesia's nuclear facilities, highlighted
Indonesia's compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) and the Safeguards Agreement, Comprehensive
Safeguards Agreement (CSA) and Additional Protocol (AP) of
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Indonesia had
been the third country, after Australia and Norway, he said,
to implement IAEA Integrated Safeguards, and had begun to
implement the Additional Protocol in 2006. In line with
Indonesia's plans to develop nuclear power responsibly,
Suhartono noted, BAPATEN had been cooperating since 2004 with
the Department of Energy (DOE) on nuclear materials security
and safeguards technologies. One participant from BATAN,
Indonesia's Nuclear Energy Agency, had just returned from an
exchange at Sandia National Laboratories.


5. (C) APPRECIATION FOR USG HELP: Officials from BAPATEN and
BATAN emphasized their agencies' appreciation for U.S.
assistance and expressed a desire to cooperate further in
nuclear regulation and export control cooperation. While
proud of Indonesia's nonproliferation commitments and timely
ratification of relevant protocols, they readily admitted
that much needed to be done, from establishing a statutory
nonproliferation regime and effective interagency process to
developing safeguards and physical controls at facilities and
ports. Our sense is that Indonesia's delay in getting to
this point is the result of the country's inadequate
regulatory and export control structure and its reluctance to
undertake commitments it cannot fulfill due to lack of
capacity. As the necessary statutory framework comes into
place, we expect, transparency and enforcement capability
will grow.

HUME