INDONESIA RATIFIES SECURITY ACCORD WITH AUSTRALIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 003276 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP.MLS, EAP/ANP, INR/EAP, NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR AS ID SUBJECT: INDONESIA RATIFIES SECURITY ACCORD WITH AUSTRALIA REF: JAKARTA 3245 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b-d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) has ratified a security accord with Australia commonly referred to as the "Lombok Treaty." The treaty enhances security cooperation and consultations between the two countries on a range of issues, including defense technology, law enforcement, and counter-terrorism, while recognizing each country's territorial sovereignty. With Indonesians looking forward to working with the new Rudd government, the accord is a further sign of a maturing in Indonesian-Australian relations. END SUMMARY. RATIFYING THE TREATY ¶2. (C) Indonesia's national legislature, the DPR, has ratified the Lombok Treaty. The "Framework for Security Cooperation Agreement" was originally signed in November 2006 by the two governments' foreign ministers (on the Indonesian island of Lombok). After a delay of several months (caused more by scheduling than anything else),the DPR ratified the treaty on November 27. The treaty will become law once President Yudhoyono signs it and diplomatic notes are exchanged by the two countries. According to Australian Embassy Pol/C Justin Lee, the GOI wants to have the treaty signed by Yudhoyono soon, but the change of government in Australia makes the exact date for a formal "photo op" ceremony unclear, although the formal signing could take place during planned upcoming visits to Indonesia by Prime Minister elect Kevin Rudd (see reftel). FORMALIZING COOPERATION ¶3. (U) The accord formalizes cooperation and consultations between Indonesia and Australia on a number of security related issues. These include: defense technology; law enforcement; transnational crime and counter-terrorism; intelligence sharing; and maritime and aviation security. The treaty also commits each country to not supporting or participating in activities which threaten the other's stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity. The accord forbids either country to be used by groups advocating or encouraging separatism. INDONESIANS UPBEAT ¶4. (C) Indonesians seem upbeat about the accord. Theo Sambuaga--the chief of the DPR's committee on foreign and defense affairs which ratified the document--told Pol/C on November 28 that he saw the agreement as positive due to its recognition of Indonesian sovereignty -- "We all feel good because Australia has formally acknowledged our territorial integration, including in sensitive areas like Papua and elsewhere. The treaty also requires Australia to prohibit its territory from being used by separatist movements against us." Dewi Fortuna Anwar, a top foreign policy analyst, told Pol/C that the agreement further "smooths out" Indonesian-Australian relations "so that they are less impacted by day-to-day problems." NEW ERA? ¶5. (C) With Indonesians looking forward to working with the new Rudd government, the accord is a further sign of a maturing in Indonesian-Australian relations. The overall texture of relations--at least as seen by Indonesians--seems to be in a positive frame right now. That said--and as touched on by Dewi Fortuna Anwar--various matters that come up whether it be Indonesian treatment of terrorists or Australian comments about the situation in Papua, etc., do tend to impact ties on a regular basis. The Lombok treaty can clearly provide some further ballast to the relationship. HUME