ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM -- GOI ON DISASTER RELIEF

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001368 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP K.SHEIVES, PM SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/APSA D.WALTON NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MASS EAID ARF ASEAN ID SUBJECT: ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM -- GOI ON DISASTER RELIEF PROPOSAL REF: A. STATE 74383 ¶B. JAKARTA 1319 ¶1. (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please handle accordingly. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a discussion with GOI contact, DepPol/C reviewed the U.S. proposal to incorporate the proposed statement on regional disaster relief into the Chair's statement at the upcoming ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting in Singapore. Our Department of Foreign Affairs contact indicated that the GOI could support the proposal in principal. Our contact, however, related that Indonesia still wants to discuss the proposal with ASEAN colleagues before agreeing on a final text. We left the USG non-paper for further GOI review. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (SBU) The GOI seems interested in the USG proposal re ASEAN and regional disaster preparedness. On July 16, DepPol/C reviewed reftel proposal with Ibnu Hadi, Director for Intra-Regional Cooperation for Asia-Pacific and Africa in the Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU). DepPol/C noted Indonesia's previous support for the creation of regional disaster relief mechanisms within the ASEAN Framework. ¶4. (SBU) Continuing, DepPol/C related that there was only a short time remaining before the ASEAN Ministerial Conference slated to begin on July 24. Washington urged Indonesia to support the U.S. proposal to incorporate the proposed statement into the ARF Chairman's statement. The USG proposal was constructive and was focused on improving disaster response in the region, a key humanitarian assistance objective. ¶5. (SBU) Hadi replied that Indonesia agreed with the substance of the proposal and the idea of incorporating the statement into the ARF Chairman's statement. That said, Indonesia wanted to consult with the Singapore chair and other ASEAN counterparts to ensure that the elements of the proposed statement were "balanced and in proportion" before finalizing the text. Indonesia hoped to do this during the next week and, if necessary, in the first hours of the ASEAN conference. Hadi expressed confidence that this could be accomplished in time. ¶6. (U) DepPol/C urged that GOI do a careful scrub of the proposal, but to move quickly to signal its acceptance of the proposal or suggest areas where it could be improved. DepPol/C left a copy of the non-paper with Hadi for DEPLU review. HUME