POSSIBLE INDONESIAN DELEGATION VISIT TO NORTH KOREA

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001183 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, EAP/K NSC FOR J.BADER E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV KNNP ID KS KN SUBJECT: POSSIBLE INDONESIAN DELEGATION VISIT TO NORTH KOREA REF: A. STATE 69809 ¶B. JAKARTA 1100 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The GOI has confirmed to us that it continues to review whether to send a delegation to North Korea in a bid to assist the negotiation track. The ROK Pol/C told us that his government had discussed the matter with the GOI and believed that the effort could potentially be constructive if the GOI sends "the right signals to Pyongyang." The ROK Pol/C also told us that his government had urged the GOI to join the Proliferation Security Initiative and to join a recent meeting of the Asia Pacific Democracy Partnership, but it demurred on both fronts. END SUMMARY. INDONESIAN VISIT TO NORTH KOREA? ¶2. (C) The Indonesian government has confirmed to us that it continues to review whether to send a delegation to North Korea. Astari Daenuwy, an international affairs assistant in the Presidential Palace, told Pol/C on July 13 that the GOI would like to send a delegation that would "urge the North Koreans to return to the negotiating track." Daenuwy was not clear as to when the GOI might choose to send the delegation nor whom might be on it. She noted that "Indonesia just wanted to be helpful and to use its connections with North Korea for the benefit of the international community." ¶3. (C) Kim Gunn, the South Korean Pol/C, told us that his government had discussed the matter with the GOI. The ROK's view was that sending the delegation would be fine as long as the GOI sent "the right signals to Pyongyang." Kim noted that the ROK had been concerned several weeks ago when Speaker of Parliament Agung Laksono visited Pyongyang and had--the ROK heard--actually congratulated the North Korean government for its "technical ability in launching missiles." The ROK had not found that very helpful, he noted dryly. In any case, the ROK would continue to be supportive of any GOI effort meant to support negotiations, lower tensions and get North Korea to take the process seriously. (Note: Laksono's party lost badly in recent parliamentary elections and he will not be returning as speaker. In addition, it is not yet clear but he appears to have lost his seat in Parliament. Laksono has also been erratic on Middle East issues, sometimes seeming to take positions on the peace process closer to that of Damascus or Tehran than not.) PROLIFERATION SECURITY INITIATIVE ¶4. (C) Kim added that his ambassador had recently met with Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) officials re the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). The ROK reviewed why it had recently joined PSI and urged the Indonesian government to do so also. The DEPLU officials said Indonesia would continue to review the matter but it had no plans to join up soon. The GOI said it appreciated the need to support nonproliferation around the world, concerns which were highlighted recently by North Korean actions, but it had concern about PSI provisions which supported interdiction. (Note: These comments track with what we have heard from the Indonesian government.) ASIA PACIFIC DEMOCRACY PARTNERSHIP ¶5. (C) Per Ref A, Kim added that the ROK had also invited Indonesia to participate in the recent Asia Pacific Democracy Partnership (APDP) meeting in Lisbon held on the margins of the Communities of Democracy meeting. The GOI had declined, saying that it wanted to attend as an observer, but was preparing for the upcoming Non-Aligned Summit in Cairo and did not have personnel to spare. Kim said he continued to pick up some dissonance from the GOI to the effect that the APDP was a competitor to the Indonesian-founded Bali Democracy Fund (BDF). Kim said the ROK keeps stressing that the two are, in fact, complementary. HUME