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