ASIA-PACIFIC DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE -- INDONESIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001232

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL/FO FOR CCAMPONOVO,
S/P, DRL; G (KCURRIE)
NSC FOR EPHU, PLETTOW

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2018
TAGS: PREL KDEM ID MG
SUBJECT: ASIA-PACIFIC DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE -- INDONESIA
CONSIDERS OBSERVING

REF: A. JAKARTA 1068 AND PREVIOUS

B. STATE 50320

Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The GOI will consider sending an "observer"
to the upcoming Asia-Pacific Democracy Partnership (APDP)
meeting in Seoul, a senior Indonesian diplomat told Paul
Lettow of the NSC, Daniel Twining of the Department's Policy
Planning Staff and DepPol/C on June 11. Meanwhile, two
Indonesians will participate in APDP election monitoring in
Mongolia in late June--one from the official elections
commission and a second person from an election reform NGO.
Separately, Australian PM Rudd told President Yudhoyono that
Australia would like to co-host Indonesia's own Bali
Democracy Forum (BDF) although no date has yet been set. END
SUMMARY.

DISCUSSING DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE


2. (C) During June 11 meetings related to APDP, the NSC's
Paul Lettow and State's Daniel Twining, accompanied by
DepPol/C, met Umar Hadi, the Department of Foreign Affairs'
Director General of Public Diplomacy, and our conduit to
Foreign Minister Wirajuda regarding APDP. Hadi had conveyed
directly to Wirajuda our recent request for the GOI to
participate in the June APDP meeting and EOM in Mongolia.
Hadi said he never received a clear yes or no response from
Wirajuda. However, Hadi reiterated previously stated views
that Wirajuda sees the need for a regional democracy
initiative but not one "imposed" from outside the region.
Wirajuda is worried that APDP would exclude non-democratic
countries, such as Burma.


3. (C) We explained that the U.S. is a Pacific nation and
that we do not want to impose our values. The lesser the
U.S. role the better. Non-democratic countries also are
welcome to ask APDP for assistance, for example in carrying
out local elections. As such an important democratic power,
Mongolia and other Asian countries look to Indonesia as a
model, we explained.

APDP AND BALI FORUM COMPATIBLE


4. (C) Hadi acknowledged that BDF and APDP are not mutually
exclusive and that the GOI would like to find a way to
accommodate us on APDP. He agreed with a suggestion that
Indonesia could possibly send a senior diplomat to attend the
upcoming APDP meeting in Seoul as an "observer" with no other
commitments other than to listen and learn.


5. (SBU) We also met with a foreign affairs advisor to
President Yudhoyono, Tri Sukma Djandam (also known as
"Nanu"),who asked why APDP is needed. We explained that
unlike Europe, Asia has no such democratization organization
and that the UN has acknowledged that APDP would help
strengthen UN efforts at democratization in Asia. Elections
monitoring is first step and we will consult with Indonesia
on future steps. BDF and APDP are complementary, we
explained.

INDONESIANS TO MONITOR MONGOLIAN ELECTIONS


6. (C) The team also met with the two Indonesians who will
attend the APDP/EOM in Mongolia in late June.

--Mr. Lukmansjah, Chief of Bureau for Public Relations at the
official Indonesian Electoral Commission, has extensive
experience monitoring elections in Indonesia and has visited
Mongolia as part of a democracy program. He has a masters
degree in public administration from Syracuse University

JAKARTA 00001232 002 OF 002


(1989) under a USAID scholarship.

--Mr. Partono, senior researcher of CETRO, the primary
election reform NGO in Indonesia. He has been engaged in
electoral advocacy since 2000, is very knowledgeable on
election law and administration, with a master degree in
public policy from the Netherlands.


7. (SBU) Lukmansjah said the Mongolian EOM will be an
important experience to help Indonesia prepare for 2009
elections. He agreed that an informal NGO regional network
to assist with elections might be a very useful function for
APDP.

AUSTRALIA AND BDF


8. (C) Separately, Australian Prime Minister Rudd discussed
Indonesia's BDF initiative with President Yudhoyono when they
met in Jakarta on June 11, an Australian diplomat confirmed.
Yudhoyono asked Rudd in the bilateral if Australia would be
prepared to co-chair the BDF and Rudd "accepted gladly."
However, there are still no more details on the BDF.
Indonesia has mentioned a first meeting in October 2008 but
that remains to be seen, the diplomat told us.


9. (SBU) This message was approved by Daniel Twining.
HUME