UNHRC "FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION" RESOLUTION --

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001519 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, IO/RHS, DRL/MLGA NSC FOR D. WALTON E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2019 TAGS: PREL KISL SOCI ID UN SUBJECT: UNHRC "FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION" RESOLUTION -- PRESSING INDONESIA REF: STATE 93373 Classified By: Acting Pol/C Daniel Rochman, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Per reftel instruction, poloff met with Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) contacts, explained USG positions, and urged the GOI to support USG priorities at the upcoming UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Contacts indicated support for U.S. initiatives and stressed that Indonesia could play a role in bridging the divide between the U.S. and Muslim-majority countries at the UN and in other multilateral fora, particularly on freedom of expression issues. ¶2. (C) In a previous meeting, poloff met with senior GOI officials to garner support for the upcoming "Freedom of Expression" resolution that will be tabled at the upcoming UNHCR session. Ambassador Rezlan Janie, Director General for Multilateral Affairs at DEPLU, responded positively to U.S. priorities on the UNCHR, adding that previous discussions on the freedom of expression/defamation of religion issue were marked by acrimony and harsh rhetoric. Janie said the GOI was looking forward to working with the U.S. on key human rights initiatives after hearing President Obama's Cairo speech reaching out to the Muslim world. ¶3. (C) Poloff provided DEPLU officials with a nonpaper outlining specific U.S. initiatives at the upcoming UNHCR session as outlined in reftel. DEPLU officials thanked us for consulting Indonesian officials in advance of the upcoming UNHCR session. DEPLU officials responded positively to the initiatives outlined in reftel and said that they would take our proposals under consideration, noting that, in general, U.S. positions are in line with GOI priorities. OSIUS