U.S. NAVAL MEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT GETS MEDIA

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000740 SIPDIS AIDAC SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/P, L, OES NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MARR TBIO AMED ID SUBJECT: U.S. NAVAL MEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT GETS MEDIA ATTENTION REF: A. JAKARTA 673 ¶B. 07 JAKARTA 3262 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (U) This message--which is Sensitive but Unclassified--contains an Action Request. Please see paras SIPDIS 5-6. ¶2. (SBU) PRESS STORY: A major Indonesian newspaper reported on April 10 that the GOI had closed the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit in Jakarta (NAMRU-2). In fact, the facility remains in operation--see below. The article, which appeared in the online version of the Indonesian language daily Sinar Harapan, cited a March 31 letter from the Ministry of Health (MOH) to NAMRU-2 instructing NAMRU to cease all studies involving specimens collected in Indonesia (ref a). ¶3. (U) The article quoted an MOH official as linking the GOI's decision to shut the facility to "the failure" of the USG and the GOI to conclude a new MOU relating to its operations. The story also cited anonymous sources who implied that the action was being taken to protect "the health" of Indonesians, and repeated previously aired assertions by some GOI officials that NAMRU-2 was sending specimens to the U.S. for malign purposes. ¶4. (SBU) BACKGROUND: The March 31 letter to the USG, which was signed by the MOH's Director of the National Institute of Health Research and Development, did not in fact shut NAMRU-2 down as reported. It did, however, further restrict NAMRU-2's ability to operate in Indonesia (ref a). That said, NAMRU-2 remains in operation. ¶5. (SBU) REQUESTED ACTION: The press story, which already has been picked up by foreign news services, means the MOH decision is beginning to become public knowledge. So far, we have not been asked about the story, though we are preparing press guidance, which we plan to send to EAP/MTS and EAP/P. The publicity will likely only further confuse the public about NAMRU's purpose. ¶Q. (SBU) It is Mission's understanding that moderate elements within the GOI continue to support the negotiations for a new MOU as a means of placing this cooperation on a firmer basis. We repeat our ref A request that Washington conclude the inter-agency review of the current Indonesia-proposed MOU text and Mission's comments (ref b), so that Mission can resume negotiations with the GOI on this matter before it becomes even more of a potential political football. HUME