FURTHER EFFORTS IN SUPPORT OF UNSC RESOLUTION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000098 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017 TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM ID SUBJECT: FURTHER EFFORTS IN SUPPORT OF UNSC RESOLUTION ON BURMA REF: A. STATE 3587 (LETTER FROM SECRETARY RICE TO FM WIRAJUDA) ¶B. STATE 3586 (SEEKING ASEAN SUPPORT FOR UNSC RESOLUTION) Classified By: B. Lynn Pascoe, Ambassador. Reasons: 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) Post continued to press the GOI to support the draft UNSC resolution on Burma. On January 10 and again on January 11, the Ambassador pressed Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Dino Djalal again on Burma, emphasizing the need for Indonesia to take a leadership role in the UNSC on this important Southeast Asia issue. He pointed out that this was the first opportunity for Indonesia to demonstrate such a role on the Council. Washington was intently interested in this issue, and it would be inappropriate for Indonesia to try to hide behind the views of others who are less committed to democratic values. ¶2. (C) On January 11, DCM met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Director General for Multilateral Affairs Slamet Hidayat to deliver the Secretary's letter (ref A). Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda had already departed for the ASEAN Summit in Cebu, but Hidayat undertook to convey it to him soonest. ¶3. (C) In commenting personally on the matter, DG Hidayat reiterated the GOI's skepticism that the Burmese regime's actions constituted a threat to international peace and security, and that the matter therefore did not belong before the UNSC. He said that the timing of the resolution's tabling, coinciding with the ASEAN summit, complicated the issue. He assured us that the ASEAN ministers would address the problem of Burma in Cebu and might issue a statement. Hidayat asked if we would consider postponing considering the resolution until after the ASEAN Summit. Drawing on ref B, we replied that we should take up the matter now in order to send a strong signal to the regime and to support Under Secretary General Gambari's efforts. SIPDIS PASCOE