RESPONSE ON UPCOMING U.S. INITIATIVES IN THE ASEAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000830

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2017
TAGS: PREL ARF MARR EAID PARM XB ID
SUBJECT: RESPONSE ON UPCOMING U.S. INITIATIVES IN THE ASEAN
REGIONAL FORUM

REF: A. SECSTATE 33907

B. SHEIVES-TURNBULL EMAIL 3/14/2007

Classified By: Political Officer Daniel Turnbull, for reasons 1.5 (b,d)
.


1. (U) We met with Deputy Director for ARF Issues Aji Surya
at the Department of Foreign Affairs on March 21 to present
U.S. proposals (reftel) and hear initial Indonesian
reactions. Proposals had been faxed to Surya the preceding
day. Surya stressed that his comments were "preliminary"
only and contingent upon a full review by the GOI. He
expected to have some amendments to propose at the upcoming
Inter-Session Support Group (ISG) in Helsinki.


2. (C) Establishing an ISM on Nonproliferation: Surya noted
that UNSCR 1540 already dealt with weapons of mass
destruction in the framework of counterterrorism and that an
ISM on counterterrorism and transnational crime already
existed, and questioned why a new ISM was necessary. We
pointed out that although there was indeed some overlap on
the specific issue of counterterrorism, nonproliferation was
a much broader set of issues and no ARF structure yet existed
to deal with it. Surya then proposed that if a new ISM on
nonproliferation were created, it also deal with disarmament.


3. (C) Establishing ISM Working Groups: Surya agreed on the
importance of working groups for the various ISM. He noted,
however, that a Shepherd's Group already existed for the ISM
on Disaster Relief and suggested there might be some
redundancy. He proposed that if a working group were
established for Disaster Relief, it replace and assume the
role of the Sherherd's Group.


4. (C) ARF Statement on Cooperation on UNSCR 1540: Surya
noted that UNSCR 1540 did not require national implementation
plans and asked whether the U.S. delegation planned to
propose such a step. He explained that this would place "an
additional burden" on countries and pointed out that
Indonesia had already submitted two reports to the United
Nations on Indonesian implementation of UNSCR 1540. Surya
said Indonesia was not opposed to national implementing
legislation but needed time to draft it.

STANDBY ARRANGEMENT CONCEPT PAPER


5. (C) We also conveyed U.S. comments (refmail) on the
Indonesian Concept Paper for a Standby Arrangement for
Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Assistance. Surya took on
board U.S. concerns, notably regarding the importance of
working within the framework of UNOCHA and other related
institutions. Without having had time to study the U.S.
comments further, Surya accepted the U.S. offer to partner
with Indonesia in making this proposal and said he hoped the
U.S. delegation would make a formal representation in favor
of the proposal at Helsinki. Surya said he had also asked
several other ARF member countries for comments on the
proposal.

SIX-PARTY TALKS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ARF HELSINKI


6. (C) Surya noted the UNDP's recent suspension of
cooperation with North Korea and press reports of new
difficulties in the Six-Party Talks regarding the transfer of
$25 million in DPRK assets. Surya said Indonesia had "pushed
hard" to encourage North Korea to attend the upcoming ARF ISG
in Helsinki and wanted to avoid a repetition of North Korea's
nonparticipation in the previous ISG in Batam, Indonesia.
Surya said he hoped developments on these other fronts would
not work against possible DPRK participation at Helsinki.
HEFFERN