Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08JAKARTA1552
2008-08-14 07:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:  

PREAH VIHEAR: INDONESIA ON THAI-CAMBODIA BORDER

Tags:  PREL ASEAN ID CB TH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0267
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #1552 2270719
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 140719Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9800
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0941
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5297
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2901
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1199
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1170
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2107
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 3916
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4813
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2363
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 2950
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001552 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2018
TAGS: PREL ASEAN ID CB TH
SUBJECT: PREAH VIHEAR: INDONESIA ON THAI-CAMBODIA BORDER
DISPUTE

REF: A. STATE 86724

B. JAKARTA 1410

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001552

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2018
TAGS: PREL ASEAN ID CB TH
SUBJECT: PREAH VIHEAR: INDONESIA ON THAI-CAMBODIA BORDER
DISPUTE

REF: A. STATE 86724

B. JAKARTA 1410

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: Indonesia continues to support
Thai-Cambodian efforts to resolve the Preah Vihear temple
border dispute through bilateral negotiations. The GOI also
remains ready to play a mediating role if both parties agree
to it. We expect ASEAN Secretariat officials to discuss the
issue on the margins of the upcoming ASEAN Standing Committee
meeting in Bangkok. END SUMMARY.

GOI SUPPORTS BILATERAL PROCESS


2. (C) The GOI continues to search for ways to be helpful
regarding the ongoing Thai-Cambodian border dispute. Poloff
discussed Indonesian views on the dispute with Ade Sukendar,
Deputy Director for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the
Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU),on August 14. Poloff
underscored that the United States remained concerned about
the dispute and urged both sides to exercise maximum
restraint. Both sides should use their upcoming bilateral
meeting to take concrete steps to de-escalate the situation
and to reach a lasting resolution. Poloff encouraged
Indonesia and other ASEAN members to support the bilateral
process.


3. (C) Sukendar said Indonesia fully supported resolution of
the dispute via Cambodia-Thailand bilateral consultations.
Indonesian officials would press the two parties to make
progress on the dispute at their August 18-19 meeting.
Sukendar added that newly appointed Thai FM Tej Bunnag would
likely visit Jakarta before the end of September. FM
Wirajuda would press the matter with him. Indonesia did not
support bringing the matter to the UN Security Council and
believed the matter should be resolved within the ASEAN
framework.

NO TIMELINE BUT SUMMIT LOOMING


4. (C) Sukendar said Indonesia did not have a specific
timeline for resolving the dispute. He said, however, that
it would be "awkward" if the situation was not resolved
before Thailand took over the ASEAN chair in December. He
also said Indonesia would press for discussion of the issue
when the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meet on the margins of the
UN General Assembly in September.

STILL READY TO MEDIATE


5. (C) Indonesia stood by its earlier offer to mediate the
dispute if both parties agreed to it doing so (ref b).
Sukendar noted, however, that Thailand basically rejected the
proposal when Indonesia floated it and there has been no
change in the Thai position. Indonesia would not push
aggressively for a mediating role as long as the two parties
continued to work the issue bilaterally.


6. (C) We were told that FM Wirajuda had consulted former FM
Ali Alatas regarding the proposal for Indonesian mediation.
Alatas told Wirajuda that Indonesia should play a role if
Thailand and Cambodia asked for mediation. Alatas said he
would be willing to serve as a mediator, but Wirajuda has not
yet asked him to do so.

DISCUSSION LIKELY AT ASEAN STANDING COMMITTEE


7. (SBU) Key ASEAN Secretariat officials are currently en
route to Bangkok for the August 19-20 ASEAN Standing
Committee meeting. We expect the Thai-Cambodia dispute to be
discussed there and will seek an update when officials return
to Jakarta.

HUME