NAVAL MEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT -- AMBASSADOR INVITES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000924 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, G, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, G/AIAG, OES, INR/B DEPT PLS PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/MSTLOUIS, HHS/NIH SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/AP P.IPSEN NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2018 TAGS: PREL TBIO PGOV MARR ID SUBJECT: NAVAL MEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT -- AMBASSADOR INVITES HOUSE SPEAKER TO VISIT REF: A. JAKARTA 860 ¶B. JAKARTA 854 ¶C. JAKARTA 0806 Classified By: Ambassador Cameron R. Hume, reasons 1.4 (b+d). ¶1. (C) Ambassador Hume met with Indonesian House Speaker Agung Laksono on May 7 to invite him and other members of the legislature to visit the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU-2) in Jakarta. NAMRU has been the target of a negative publicity campaign led by Indonesian Health Minister Supari. Laksono said he considered NAMRU beneficial to Indonesia and hoped the remaining differences regarding a new agreement could be resolved soon. He said the DPR was discussing the issue with relevant GOI agencies but did not support giving NAMRU's U.S. staff diplomatic immunity. END SUMMARY. PART OF PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGN ¶2. (U) Ambassador and NAMRU Director Trevor Jones met with Agung Laksono, Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) on May 7 as part of Mission's public outreach on NAMRU. Mission has in the past two years issued several written invitations to the DPR, as part of Mission's strategy to build GOI support for NAMRU's continued operation in Jakarta. So far the DPR has never followed through on a visit. For the past two years Mission has been negotiating a new agreement to provide a firm legal basis for NAMRU's activities. The issue has become complicated over the past year by Indonesia's suspension of collaboration with the international community in the sharing of pathogen samples. More recently, Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari has led a public campaign of attacks and misinformation regarding NAMRU (reftels). Embassy has responded with a public information campaign to set the record straight and build public support for NAMRU. ¶3. (U) Ambassador said the purpose of his call was to extend an invitation for the Speaker and fellow DPR members to visit NAMRU. He explained that NAMRU was housed in a building of the Department of Health, had been in operation in Indonesia since 1970 and was staffed mostly by Indonesians. NAMRU was open to GOI officials at any time, he stressed, and security checks were simply a routine precaution common at buildings ;throughout the city. Embassy Jakarta had received Washington's approval to resume negotiations on the basis of a revised text. NAMRU's main function was to analyze disease outbreaks. It did not remove anything from Indonesia, but only sent samples out of the country for testing as the request of the Department of Health. LAKSONO VOICES SUPPORT BUT OPPOSES DIPLOMATIC STATUS ¶4. (C) Laksono noted that the public discussion of NAMRU had now been going on for the better part of a year, especially within the health community. The DPR's Commission I, responsible for foreign and defense issues, had discussed the issue with the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Commission's view was that, if NAMRU was beneficial to Indonesia and to its bilateral relationship with the United States, then it could continue to operate in Indonesia. If not, its operations would have to end. It was necessary for the DPR to convince government agencies of the benefits. Laksono said he had read the reports of NAMRU's activities and believed NAMRU had a positive role, in terms of Indonesian public health, the bilateral relationship and the benefits to Indonesian scientific researcher community working in and with the lab. ¶5. (C) That said, Laksono emphasized, Commission I had recommended that if NAMRU were to continue operation in Indonesia it would have to do so under certain conditions. These were that 1) NAMRU must be transparent and accessible, 2) it should find a way to cooperate with the Indonesian JAKARTA 00000924 002 OF 002 Navy, which operated mobile medical facilities and 3) U.S. nationals employed at NAMRU should not have diplomatic immunity. ¶6. (U) Ambassador said he agreed that NAMRU was mutually beneficial and should continue in operation. Infectious diseases must be tracked so that there could be a timely response to their evolution and outbreak. Other similar research facilities and international agencies participated in this international effort and were constantly looking for ways to improve cooperation. DIRECTOR STRESSES OPENNESS, SERVICE TO INDONESIA ¶7. (U) NAMRU Director Jones emphasized that NAMRU appreciated being able to work in Indonesia and valued its collaboration with the Indonesian government and scientific community. The ratio of Indonesian to U.S. staff was roughly 8:1. NAMRU trained approximately 35 Indonesian university students per year, and some graduate students worked in the lab as part of their study. NAMRU wanted to be open, wanted more visits by GOI officials and would be pleased to host a delegation of DPR members or staff. NAMRU had nothing to hide and much to share. Visits would help to build confidence. DPR PLANS HEARINGS ON MINISTER'S ALLEGATIONS ¶8. (C) Laksono thanked the Ambassador for his letter of invitation to visit NAMRU. He expressed the hope that the remaining issues could be resolved soon and said the DPR's Commission 8, responsible for health matters, would ask the Department of Health for clarification of the issues that Minister Supari had raised. HUME