INDONESIA PORT SECURITY ADVISORY DELAY

UNCLAS JAKARTA 003255 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS AND EB/TRA/AN, SINGAPORE FOR COAST GUARD- LCDR PURGANAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD EWWT ID PBTS SUBJECT: INDONESIA PORT SECURITY ADVISORY DELAY REF: A) JAKARTA 2363 B) JAKARTA 3086 ¶1. (SBU) Summary and Action Request: Visiting regional Coast Guard liaison officer informed Government of Indonesia (GOI) officials and representatives from U.S. companies with private port facilities that the Port Security Advisory (PSA) for Indonesia would not be issued November 24 as originally planned. Government officials and U.S. companies strongly urged that the U.S. not issue the advisory until they had an opportunity to qualify to have their ports placed on the exempt list prior to the announcement of the PSA. Embassy strongly supports their request. Embassy would appreciate guidance we can share with GOI and private-sector companies on how Indonesian port facilities can be exempted from the PSA via the alternative procedures process. End Summary and Action Request. ¶2. (SBU) During a November 19-21 visit, Singapore-based USCG International Port Security Liaison Officer LCDR Phil Purganan informed officials in the Directorate General for Sea Transportation (DGST) and representatives of U.S. companies that operate private ports that the Port Security Advisory for Indonesia scheduled to go into effect on or about November 24 had been delayed for several weeks. DGST officials asked whether it was possible to use the delay to obtain exemptions from the eventual PSA for six key ports which have already been visited by the Coast Guard and found not to be compliant with the International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPS). ¶3. (SBU) DGST officials indicated that they do not object to using the alternative procedures process involving recognized security organizations (RSOs). They expressed their strong belief that they should have an opportunity to address any security shortcomings before a PSA goes into effect. They believe that the bureaucratic delay in announcing the PSA provides ample time to give them this opportunity. ¶4. (SBU) In meetings with Chevron, British Petroleum, and Newmont, all of whom operate private port facilities which handle ships destined directly for the U.S., LCDR Purganan was also told that these companies would like to have their facilities exempted via the alternative procedures process prior to the PSA going into effect. ¶5. (SBU) Embassy recommends that we take advantage of the delay in the announcement of the Port Security Advisory to give DGST and private companies an opportunity to qualify for exempt status. This will minimize disruption in U.S.-Indonesian trade and will also send a strong signal to DGST officials that we are willing to work with them to address their concerns. We would appreciate guidance we can share with DGST and private-sector companies on how the alternative procedures process works. HUME HUME