SAO -- URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDED IN RESOLVING VISA

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001571 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, CA/FO, CA/VO/L/C (GREG BEER) NSC FOR J.BADER, D.WALTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL CVIS KISL ID SUBJECT: SAO -- URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDED IN RESOLVING VISA CASE FOR PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Mission requires the Department's urgent assistant in securing a resolution for a Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) for a senior GOI official who hopes to travel to Pittsburgh for the upcoming G20 summit. The applicant's position is the equivalent of a top presidential aide on the National Security Council and Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a former general in the Indonesian army. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Mission requests the Department's urgent assistance in securing interagency SAO (Request ID: JAK0001GQD00) resolution for Mr. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin (Indonesian passport number S161278 and DOB 30-October-1952) to travel to the United States on September 23 as part of a GOI Presidential delegation for the upcoming G20 Summit in Pittsburgh. Sjamsoeddin expects to finalize his travel on September 19. For this visit, Indonesian President Yudhoyono's office identified the visa applicant as a top aide. Mission understands that Mr. Sjamsoeddin has an exact name and date-of-birth hit and is subject to the SAO. If he can't be cleared for a visa, we need to provide an explanation to the GOI why this key aide can't go to the U.S. ¶3. (U) Consular NIV Chief Kira Zaporski has already sent particulars of Sjamsoeddin by email in an expedite request to Greg Beer in CA/VO/L/C. We urgently need a reply within 24 hours, before the opening of business on Friday, September 18 Jakarta time. ¶4. (U) As a key advisor to the Indonesian president, Sjamsoeddin's visit to the U.S. could offer an opportunity to focus discussion on concluding several ongoing Mission initiatives in Indonesia. As we work towards finalizing details of the Comprehensive Partnership, it is important to facilitate the travel of such influential individuals. We need the Department to bring Mr. Sjamsoeddin's pending SAO to a quick resolution. If a visa cannot be issued, we should provide a clear explanation to the GoI, thereby offering Indonesia's leaders an opportunity to withdraw the visa request with minimal loss of face. OSIUS