JAKARTA TO HOST CAPACITY-BUILDING CONFERENCE FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001238 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, NEA, NEA/IPA NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2018 TAGS: PREL EAID ID SF XF SUBJECT: JAKARTA TO HOST CAPACITY-BUILDING CONFERENCE FOR PALESTINIANS REF: JAKARTA 518 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Indonesia has announcced that it plans n co-host with South Africa a ministerial-level apacity-building conference for Palestine, July 1415. The conference--which would be held in Jakata--aims to generate pledges of training, technial assistance and other forms of capacity-buildig for the Palestinian Authority in four main area: agriculture, education, economic growth and heath. The Indonesian organizers stress that the evnt is not a donors' conference and say they do nt plan to invite Hamas officials. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Department of Forign Affairs (DEPLU) Secretary General Imron Cota--DEPLU's number-two official--publicly announce on June 20 that Indonesia would host a "Ministeial Meeting on Capacity-Building for Palestine" uly 14-15 in Jakarta. Speaking to reporters, Cotn pledged Indonesia's support for a Palestinian stte that "will live peacefully side by side with ts neighbors, including Israel." ¶3. (C) Indoesia announced the conference, to be co-sponsore by South Africa, during the November 2007 Annapois Conference. The conference was originally slatd for late March or early April but was postpone due to organizational d ifficulties and other isues (reftel). DEPLU contacts expect representatves from approximately 75 Asian and African (inclding Middle Eastern) cguntries to attend. The GO has nott yet determined hat role there might be for countries outside these regions, including the United States. ¶4. (C) Agus Salim, Deputy Director for Asia-Pacific and African Intra-Regional Cooperation at DEPLU, told Poloff on June 23 that the conference would focus on "practical issues" and avoid sensitive political matters. He also said conference organizers did not plan to invite officials from Hamas. They expect either Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmud Abbas or Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to lead the Palestinian delegation. He stressed that it was not a donors' conference, but a forum for cooperation on capacity-building. ¶5. (C) PALESTINIAN EMBASSY VIEW: Palestinian Authority officials here have high hopes for the conference. Palestinian DCM Nasser Wahab told poloff that the PA had submitted approximately 90 proposals that they hoped conference participants would pledge to support. The majority of these were in four key areas: agriculture, education, economic growth and health. One proposal, however, covered training for the Palestinian police, but this proposal was unlikely to be supported at the conference, he said. PA officials actually preferred that security-related assistance be provided by a European country, Wahab remarked. ¶6. (C) Wahab stressed that this was not a donors' conference and that there would be no pledges of financial assistance to the PA. Instead, participating countries would offer training, technical assistance, exchange programs and other forms of capacity building for the PA. ¶7. (C) GOI WANTS TO HELP: As noted, the conference follows from Indonesia's support for and participation in the Annapolis Process. The GOI clearly maintains a genuine desire to play a positive role in the Middle East Peace Process, but it is realistic about its influence. The conference is an opportunity for the GOI to show to both external and domestic audiences that it is acting constructively on an important international matter. HUME