PRESIDENT YUDHOYONO DISCUSSES HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000814 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG AND OES USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/MLEAVITT/WSTEIGER AND HHS/NIH GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR AMGT PGOV ID SUBJECT: PRESIDENT YUDHOYONO DISCUSSES HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS WITH HHS SECRETARY LEAVITT 1.(SBU) Summary. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono thanked U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt for the SIPDIS United States' assistance in fighting highly pathogenic avian influenza in an April 14 meeting, and stated that he wants to resolve the virus sharing issue quickly, through intensifying bilateral talks. Secretary Leavitt emphasized the importance of not letting differences in avian influenza policy hinder cooperation in other health areas, while noting the potential for additional cooperation for science and technology exchange. Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie pledged that Indonesia will try to resolve the sample sharing issues within two months. In addition to health concerns, Yudhoyono discussed his concerns with rising food prices, energy conversion, and environmental challenges, which he linked to quality of life issues for Indonesians. A list of meeting participants is contained in paragraph 6. End Summary. Resolving Sample Sharing and Building Partnership -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Leavitt, accompanied by four members of his delegation and Ambassador Hume, met April 14 with President Yudhoyono to discuss highly pathogenic avian influenza, other infectious diseases and increased scientific collaboration between both countries. The Indonesian Ministers of Health, Foreign Affairs and People's Welfare also attended the meeting. President Yudhoyono warmly welcomed the Secretary, and expressed appreciation for the over $40 million in assistance the U.S. Government (USG) has invested in the fight against the H5N1 strain of avian influenza. Yudhoyono recognized President Bush's leadership in improving the U.S. and Indonesian relationship, and noted he's looking forward to their next meeting on the margins of the G8 Leaders' Summit in July. Yudhoyono also expressed appreciation for Ambassador Hume's personal interest in influenza and acknowledged Hume's recent visit to Tangerang. ¶3. (SBU) Yudhoyono stated he wants to resolve the issues around the sharing of avian influenza viruses quickly. He said Indonesia wants to work in partnership and cooperation with other countries but needs to see a concrete plan on how its people will benefit from sample sharing. The President attempted to assure Secretary Leavitt that Indonesia intends to share samples, but said the Government of Indonesia (GOI) wants to address the issue of equitable access to drugs and vaccines. Yudhoyono commented that Indonesia and the United States should go "beyond the process under the World Health Organization (WHO)" to resolve the remaining issues in intensive, bilateral talks. Yudhoyono also noted that Indonesia is trying to improve the clinical management in hospitals of patients infected with the H5N1 virus, but needs more resources and international partnership. Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Bakrie stated that, with sufficient effort, Indonesia likely could resolve the sample sharing impasse within two months. ¶4. (SBU) Secretary Leavitt described earlier, positive meetings during the day with the Indonesian Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Health and People's Welfare, and noted a mutual commitment not to let disagreements over influenza policy hinder important bilateral cooperation in other areas, such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria. Leavitt emphasized his concerns about the Indonesian position on sample sharing; he noted that viruses do not recognize borders and should not be viewed as property. He described the USG's investment of $1.2 billion in influenza vaccine development, and said this investment will lead to increased access to affordable vaccines for other countries through new cell-culture technologies. He reiterated the United States is committed to ensuring the availability of vaccines against a pandemic strain of influenza, and expressed concern about changing the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network. Although the Secretary said he is supportive of equitable access to vaccines and SIPDIS medicines as a global objective, he underlined that he believes it should not be directly linked to the sharing of virus samples. NAMRU-2 as a Shared Asset -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Secretary Leavitt described the Naval Medical Research Unit JAKARTA 00000814 002 OF 002 (NAMRU-2) as a valuable asset to the global health agenda of the United States, and as a valuable asset for Indonesia as well. The Secretary commented that he now better understood Indonesian SIPDIS sensitivity regarding the status of NAMRU-2 as a U.S. military facility that is working within the Ministry of Health. He suggested that NAMRU-2 arrange for Indonesian senior leadership to visit other Department of Defense overseas laboratories to better understand NAMRU's role in their host countries. President Yudhoyono noted his support for the laboratory, and expressed his opinion that the remaining issues within NAMRU-2's ongoing Memorandum of Understanding negotiations could be resolved. Food Prices, Biofuels and Environment -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Yudhoyono described growing concerns with rising food prices in Indonesia and the linkage with land usage, biofuels and environmental concerns. Yudhoyono sees a need for global cooperation on food production and has written to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) to suggest that the UN SIPDIS host a conference on climate change, energy costs and the global food supply. Yudhoyono described the importance of balancing development objectives with protecting the environment and explained that Indonesia is working on plans to better use land already in production. Yudhoyono also commented on decentralization's role in changing Indonesia and improving access to services, through shifting power to local governments. Meeting Participants -------------- ¶7. (U) Indonesia: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda, Presidential Advisor Dino Patti Jalal. ¶8. (U) United States: HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt; Ambassador Cameron Hume; HHS Assistant Secretary for Budget, Technology and Finance Charles Johnson; Special Assistant to the HHS Secretary for International Affairs William Steiger; HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs Holly Babin; Director of the Office of SIPDIS Asia and the Pacific within the HHS Office of Global Health Affairs Christopher Hickey; and HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Country Director Frank Mahoney. ¶9. (U) Secretary Leavitt's party cleared this cable. HUME