WESTERN SAHARA -- PRESSING INDONESIA ON ANOTHER

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001581 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, NEA, NEA/MAG (KAAILAU) IO, IO/UNP (FITZGERALD) NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/20/2018 TAGS: PREL UNSC PBTS ID MO WI SUBJECT: WESTERN SAHARA -- PRESSING INDONESIA ON ANOTHER ROUND OF TALKS REF: STATE 88765 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Mission has reviewed Reftel related to Western Sahara with the GOI. Department of Foreign Affairs contact, taking our points on board, said that the GOI has not yet formulated its position. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Mission has reviewed Reftel Western Sahara points with the GOI. Poloff discussed points with Fikry Cassidy, Deputy Director for International Security and Disarmament Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU),on August 20. Poloff urged the GOI to support a fifth round of talks and the retention of Peter Van Walsum as the Secretary General's Personal Envoy. ¶3. (C) Poloff argued that more has to be done re the Western Sahara in line with UNSCR 1813 and talks should be held as soon as they can. Too much credence should not be given to the Polisario's July 30 statement that it has "lost confidence" in Van Walsum. The Council has clearly expressed its support for Van Walsum and one party to the negotiations should not be allowed to veto that mandate or the SYG's choice of an envoy. If Van Walsum's contract must expire, the U.S. believes the talks need to take place by the end of the year in any case and that a UN official, perhaps Under Secretary Pascoe, should facilitate, poloff concluded. ¶4. (C) Cassidy replied that Indonesia had not yet finalized its position on the matter. He promised that the GOI would consider USG views as it formulated a position. Cassidy said he would provide an update when GOI deliberations were complete. HUME