ADVANCING OUR AGENDA IF PRESIDENT OBAMA POSTPONES

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001640 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR EAP A/S CAMPBELL, DAS MARCIEL NSC FOR AMBASSADOR BADER DEPT ALSO EAP/MTS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL OVIP ID SUBJECT: ADVANCING OUR AGENDA IF PRESIDENT OBAMA POSTPONES ¶1. (SBU) Summary. President Obama has informed President Yudhoyono that he must postpone his visit to Indonesia to next year, according to a credible Embassy contact. The reason: the President would like to bring his family and spend a few days. If true, we should find a way to make this news public as soon as possible, perhaps through a Presidential interview with an Indonesian journalist. We must also continue to press for concrete progress on a number of issues: the Peace Corps, an OPIC agreement, the science and technology agreement, the MCC Compact, Environmental Protection Agency cooperation, trade and investment, and the Bali Democracy Forum. A series of upcoming visits by senior officials provides opportunities to deliver these items. End Summary. -------------- Delivering the Message -------------- ¶2. (SBU) According to a businessman accompanying President Yudhoyono to the G20 summit, President Obama informed President Yudhoyono that he would not visit Indonesia in November. President Obama reportedly said that he wanted to visit Indonesia next year during the school holidays so that he and his family could spend a few days in Indonesia. ¶3. (SBU) If this report is correct, we must find a way to announce it publicly. Rumors are already circulating that President Obama will not come. Many of these rumors link the cancellation to security concerns. Delay of an announcement of the postponement will only engender more rumors and conspiracy theories, none of which are likely to be flattering to the U.S. An announcement that he is postponing his trip so that he can bring his family and spend more time here, however, will resonate positively. ¶4. (SBU) The ideal announcement would come from the President himself, perhaps in an exclusive interview with either the VOA or an Indonesian television reporter. The message should be simple: The President is disappointed he can't visit in November. Given his tight schedule, he would have only been able to visit Indonesian very briefly. He postponed his visit until next year so he can spend more time and bring his family along. We have sent to EAP a draft op-ed for Indonesian newspapers and would appreciate its clearance. -------------- Managing the Relationship -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The planned November visit served as a catalyst on a number of issues, including the Peace Corps, an OPIC agreement, a science and technology agreement, and the Bali Democracy Forum and on Interfaith Dialogue. Despite the postponement, we must continue to press for progress on each of these. We must show Indonesia that our overall objective is to build a partnership, not just have Presidential deliverables. Indonesia places great value in negotiating a comprehensive partnership document. We should agree on the text of this document as soon as possible. ¶6. (SBU) But we must also work on specific items. We would welcome a visit this fall by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to announce increased partnership on environmental issues. Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams plans visit Asia in November; we should aim to have him sign the Peace Corps agreement in Jakarta then. Under Secretary Hormats plans to attend the APEC Summit in November; a visit here would give him the opportunity to look at how we can partner with Indonesian in the G20. He may also be able to sign the OPIC and science and technology agreements and announce the placement of an MCC national coordinator in Indonesia. Under Secretary Burns has tentative plans to visit in December; we should tie his visit into the Bali Democracy Forum, use the opportunity to advance our new Burma approach, and continue to pursue an Interfaith Dialogue with Indonesia. Finally, USTR should consider coming to Indonesia for the next round of Trade and Investment Framework Agreement talks in order to advance the economic pillar of the comprehensive partnership. OSIUS