INDONESIAN SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT SENDS LETTER TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002320 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, H NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KDEM ID SUBJECT: INDONESIAN SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT SENDS LETTER TO SPEAKER PELOSI REF: A. JAKARTA 2298 ¶B. JAKARTA 2137 JAKARTA 00002320 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Agung Laksono, Speaker of the Indonesian Parliament (DPR),has sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The letter congratulates the Speaker on the results of the November elections. The letter also thanks the Speaker for the recent launch of a USG information network which will help Indonesia's Parliament research legislation and judicial decisions on a worldwide basis. The original copy of the letter has been sent to the Speaker's Office in Washington. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Speaker Laksono has sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi. The letter, dated December 23, congratulates the Speaker on the results of the November elections. The letter also thanks Speaker Pelosi for the recent launch of a USG information network--the Global Legal Information Network (GLIN)--which will help Indonesia's Parliament research legislation and judicial decisions on a worldwide basis. The letter supports further cooperation with the U.S. Congress and proposes a visit by House Democracy Assistance Commission representatives (HDAC) in early 2009. ¶3. (U) The text of Speaker Laksono's letter to Speaker Pelosi follows: Begin text: Jakarta, December 23, 2008 Honorable Speaker Nancy Pelosi The U.S. House of Representatives 235 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515 United States of America Dear Honorable Pelosi, On behalf of the Parliamentary Reform Committee that visited Washington during the first week of December, I express my thanks for the cooperation provided by your Congress. The year 2009 is historic for the world's second largest democracy, with the inauguration of President Elect Barack Obama and Vice President Elect Joe Biden. Inauguration of Mr. Obama is of significance to the people of Indonesia who have an affectionate feeling for Mr. Obama as he lived in his early age in Jakarta. It is also a historical year for the world's third largest democracy, the Republic of Indonesia, with our national legislative election beginning in April 2009. I would welcome a visit by your House Democratic Assistance Commission (HDAC) early in 2009. You have instituted many reforms in the U.S. House. Under my tenure as Speaker, The Indonesian House of Representatives has introduced reforms, especially relating to developing of a more viable Parliament. However there are more Parliamentary reforms I intend to accomplish during this term. Meanwhile, I am happy to inform you that we have recently officiated the Global Legal Information Network (GLIN) Indonesia Office which will be in on line communication with the US Congress/Law Library of Congress GLIN Office, to allow our parliamentarians of both sides access into legislative material resources available in our two parliaments for comparative purposes. A visit by Members of the U.S. Congress would give our respective Members an opportunity to exchange reform experiences and also discuss ways of how we can work together during this economic crisis that impacts Indonesians and JAKARTA 00002320 002.2 OF 002 Americans. To further strengthening this cooperation, we also view it as timely for the two parliaments to form an ad-hoc joint working group. In the current Parliamentary session we passed legislation relating to mining and the Capetown-Agreement Aviation which are important to the Indonesian and US economies. In conclusion, allow me to renew our invitation to you to visit Indonesia soonest at the most convenient time. Sincerely, /S/ HR Agung Laksono Speaker of the Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat of the Republic of Indonesia End text. HUME