C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 002192

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP (K.SHEIVES)
USPACOM FOR J71 S.MELLINGER
DEPT PLS PASS USAID/OFDA J.HENSEL
NSC FOR E.PHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR EAID ASEAN ARF ID RP
SUBJECT: ARF DISASTER RELIEF EXERCISE -- INDONESIAN
PARTICIPATION

REF: STATE 122937

Classified By: A/Pol/C Stanley J. Harsha, reasons 1.4(b+d).


1. (U) SUMMARY: Indonesia plans to participate in the ASEAN
Regional Forum (ARF) Voluntary Demonstration Exercise (VDR)
on Disaster Relief in the Philippines in May 2009 and will
likely request USG assistance for planning meetings and/or
the exercise itself. Exact participants and role have yet to
be determined. FM Wirajuda is keenly interested in
developing an ARF capability for disaster relief and strongly
supports Indonesia's participation. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Regional Stability Unit (RSU) Chief discussed reftel
with Ibnu Hadi, Director for Intra-Regional Cooperation in
the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU), on December 1.
RSU Chief said the United States supported the upcoming
exercise as a way to develop important regional capabilities
in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance and wanted to
make it a success. We urged the GOI to identify a specific
focus of participation and appropriate agencies as soon as
possible, with a view to participating in the upcoming
planning conferences in January and March. Noting the
general principle that countries should fund their own
participation, we said the USG had funds to help where
needed. We noted the two deadlines for submission of
assistance requests.

HIGH PRIORITY


3. (C) Hadi said Indonesia was looking forward to the
exercise as an important area of regional cooperation and
assistance, and one in which Foreign Minister Wirajuda had
taken an active interest. Indonesia was in the process of
identifying a specific role in the exercise and determining
the scope of its participation. One possible focus was the
provision of potable water. Hadi said he expected to discuss
these issues further with the U.S. delegation at the upcoming
Conference on Disaster Relief in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on
December 5-6. Hadi said he had made initial contact with the
Philippine Embassy but no substantive discussions yet.

PARTICIPATING AGENCIES


4. (C) Hadi, who will head Indonesia's participation in the
exercise, said the key agencies participating in the exercise
would be DEPLU, the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) and the
Indonesian Disaster Relief Agency (BNBP). (Note: The BNBP
is the new name of the former National Coordination Agency
(BAKORNAS), previously responsible for coordinating
Indonesia's national disaster relief efforts.) There was
likely to be little, if any, participation by the Indonesian
Department of Defense. Indonesia planned to attend the
planning conference in Manila on January 19-23 and would
likely send one official (including Hadi) from each of the
three agencies. He said Indonesia would likely request USG
assistance.

NO AUSTRALIAN ASSISTANCE PLANNED


5. (C) Paul Iozzi, Defense Policy Advisor at the Australian
Embassy in Jakarta, told RSU Chief that Australia at this
point had no plans to offer assistance for Indonesian
participation in the exercise or its planning sessions.

MISSION POINT OF CONTACT


6. (U) Embassy Jakarta POC for exercise preparations is
Daniel Turnbull, Regional Stability Unit Chief, tel:
62-21-3435-9706; cell: 62-812-103-1922; fax:
62-21-3435-9916; email: turnbullde@state.gov.
HUME