AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL ON PRESIDENT YUDHOYONO

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000474 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV ABLD PHUM ID SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL ON PRESIDENT YUDHOYONO REF: A. JAKARTA 427 ¶B. JAKARTA 291 Classified By: CDA John Heffern, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) During a Feb. 16 farewell call on President Yudhoyono (SBY),Amb. Pascoe raised conditions in Papua and explained U.S. plans to help build capacity there. SBY said the national cabinet and the two provincial governors have agreed on a development strategy. SBY endorsed the provision of U.S. assistance. More generally SBY reaffirmed his desire to see Indonesia progress socially and economically and reaffirmed his determination to have the GOI play a larger international role. He acknowledged the need to move his domestic agenda more forcefully and said he would work on the question of notorious military leaders not receiving promotions. He said he would look into the Embassy's land pricing issue. End Summary ¶2. (C) Amb. Pascoe made a farewell call on President Yudhoyono Feb. 16. The palace requested that the Ambassador attend alone. SBY was accompanied solely by Presidential adviser Dino Djalal. SBY used the occasion to restate in well established terms his vision for Indonesia. He acknowledged that progress in various fields had been slower than he had hoped and that he had faced more obstacles than expected but would keep pushing forward to achieve his reform goals. Papua -------------- ¶3. (C) When the Ambassador raised his recent travel to Papua and the need for progress there (ref. b),SBY replied that the Cabinet had met with Papua province Governor Suebu on Feb. 14. The President would issue a new presidential decision in the coming "week". Making points similar to those made by Vice-President Kalla the previous day (ref. a), SBY said that the central government would make funds available to the two Papuan provinces, and would build new roads, but that other social development would naturally be led by the provinces. SBY said that the national government would empower the provincial governments to take action and that both provinces support the approach. At the same time, they both need capacity building support. The Ambassador replied that the U.S. would help by providing technical assistance. SBY replied that he fully supports USG assistance of this type to provincial and local governments. Committed to Greater International Profile -------------- ¶4. (C) SBY cited his steps to involve Indonesia more in foreign affairs and expressed his desire to make a difference in the Middle East. He said Indonesia could play a number of roles but that some countries, such as Egypt, wanted to prevent such activism. SBY complained that the Arab states think such issues are exclusively theirs. He would continue to look for opportunities in other foreign policy areas and expressed pride in having deployed peacekeeping forces to UNIFIL. Need to Push Agenda Forward -------------- ¶5. (S) On Indonesia's economy, SBY did not break new ground but restated his hopes and aspirations for the country and reaffirmed his desire for continued American assistance. Throughout the conversation SBY acknowledged various actions he needed to take and the problems he has faced. He stated several times that he is trying to modify the culture of Indonesia. The Ambassador suggested to SBY that the President needed to get more people to push his agenda. The bureaucracy did not seem to understand that in a democracy it still has to obey the wishes of the political leadership. The Ambassador urged the President to recruit a strong infighter to advance his policy positions. SBY responded that he understood the Ambassador's message and acknowledged that this was an area he needed to work on. Embassy Land Issue -------------- ¶6. (C) The Ambassador asked SBY to intercede with the Ministry of Finance to state a price for land located within the Embassy's compound. The Finance Minister had said the previous day that it would require Presidential action. SBY responded he would see what could be done. JAKARTA 00000474 002 OF 002 Preventing Promotions of Notorious Military Officers -------------- -------------- ¶7. (S) As the meeting ended, the Ambassador told SBY that it was vital that he ensure that individuals with notorious human rights backgrounds not be allowed to move up the ranks within the military. Preventing such promotions was an important aspect of accountability. SBY replied that he understood and would work on the issue. HEFFERN