HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE TO CYCLONE NARGIS: ASEAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000914 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, IO, G, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS (COPE),EAP/RSP NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018 TAGS: PREL EAID ASEAN BM ID SUBJECT: HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE TO CYCLONE NARGIS: ASEAN AND INDONESIAN ACTIONS REF: SECSTATE 48651 Classified By: A/Pol/C Stanley Harsha for reasons 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Visiting EAP PDAS Scott Marciel discussed reftel issues with ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan and with Indonesian presidential adviser Dino Djalal on May 8 in Jakarta. Surin said he was fully occupied with the relief issues, urged the continued stockpiling of supplies in Bangkok to attract media attention, and said the World Bank had proposed the creation of a relief consortium with ASEAN and the United Nations. Djalal said President Yudhoyono had sent a letter urging Burma to follow Indonesia's example following the 2004 tsunami. END SUMMARY. YUDHOYONO LETTER TO THAN SHWE ¶2. (C) In the discussion with Djalal, Marciel said that, given the gravity of the humanitarian crisis facing Burma in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, USG was setting side its political concerns in order to offer humanitarian assistance. The United States was asking the regime to permit relief effort to begin and was less concerned with any specific U.S. role than with the willingness of the regime to allow the international community to act. The United States hoped that Indonesia would use its ties to Rangoon to persuade the regime to grant visas and to do so quickly, particularly as casualty figures were mounting rapidly. Indonesia should point to its positive experience with international relief in Aceh. Marciel added that, under the circumstances, it would be inappropriate for the regime to proceed with the planned referendum on May 10. USG hoped Indonesia would underscore this point. ¶3. (C) Djalal said President Yudhoyono had sent a letter to Burmese leader General Than Shwe urging the regime to do what Indonesia had done in Aceh. Burma needed to "open the box" and do so quickly, as Indonesia had. Yudhoyono had stressed his belief that the experience would be a positive one. CONTINUE STOCKPILING SUPPLIES IN BANGKOK ¶4. (SBU) In the meeting with SG Surin, Marciel urged Surin to use whatever influence he had with the Burmese leadership to open a way for international disaster relief to enter the country. ¶5. (SBU) Surin said he agreed fully with this emphasis and that he currently was focused almost exclusively on facilitating relief. Surin urged that the international community continue to deposit as much food and other aid as possible at the Bangkok airport in order to increase media attention. Intense media scrutiny and huge, visible stockpiles would make it difficult for the Burmese government to refuse access for goods and relief teams. He also encouraged governments and relief organizations to think creatively about ways to get aid flowing to the people in need. ¶6. (SBU) Surin also said the World Bank had approached him about forming a three-way consortium with ASEAN and the United Nations to provide disaster relief. He found the idea intriguing and suggested USG speak directly with World Bank headquarters in Washington regarding the status of their effort. ¶7. (U) The discussion with Surin was communicated immediately to Department's Operations Center. HUME