PRESIDENT YUDHOYONO REPORTEDLY UNHAPPY OVER

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001711 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, DRL, PM NSC FOR J.BADER AND D.WALTON E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2019 TAGS: PREL MARR OVIP ID SUBJECT: PRESIDENT YUDHOYONO REPORTEDLY UNHAPPY OVER KOPASSUS ISSUE, POTUS VISIT POSTPONEMENT REF: A. SEP. 16 OSIUS-MARCIEL E-MAIL ¶B. JAKARTA 1640 Classified By: A/DCM Michael C. Mullins, reasons 1.4 (b+d). ¶1. (U) This is an Action Message. Please see paras 5 and 6. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: President Yudhoyono (SBY) is reportedly upset with the lack of progress on the Kopassus/Leahy vetting issue and the postponement of the proposed POTUS visit. This message requests that the Department consider a visit by Kopasssus Commander MG Wibowo to Washington, and advise about Mission's proposed op-ed and the possibility of a interview by President Obama with the Indonesian media. END SUMMARY ¶3. (C) Presidential Spokesman Dino Djalal contacted A/DCM October 9 to pass on what he described as President Yudhoyono's frustration with the continued legal restrictions on engagement between the U.S. military and the Indonesian Army Special Forces (Kopassus). According to Djalal, Yudhoyono takes the issue seriously to the extent that he wonders how he can proceed with a Comprehensive Partnership with the United States if the United States does not treat Indonesia as a true partner. ¶4. (C) Separately, the tone of the media is sour concerning the postponement of the proposed visit of President Obama to Indonesia. Our contacts believe SBY is unhappy that the President has time for Singapore, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, and Seoul, but not Jakarta. An influential Indonesian contact advised Charge that sending a "consolation prize" delegation to SBY's October 20 second-term inauguration would be "exactly the wrong thing to do." (Note: Not all interlocutors describe SBY as dismayed about the postponement. One contact told Pol/C that SBY and FM Wirajuda were disappointed but understood the reasons behind the decision.) ACTION REQUESTS ¶5. (C) Per ref a, at a September 15 briefing for DATT and Dep. POL/C, Kopassus Commander Major General Wibowo described the reforms and accountability steps Kopassus has made. Mission found Wibowo to be candid and transparent and requests Department consult with DOD and Hill contacts to consider the utility of an early visit by MG Wibowo to Washington. Given SBY's personal attention to this issue, our ability to respond to his concerns as quickly as possible is important. ¶6. (C) To help ease the disappointment of SBY and the Indonesian public over the postponement of the President's visit, we suggest a forward-leaning public diplomacy strategy. Per ref b, Post requests clearance for the draft op-ed we have sent to EAP and reiterate our suggestion that an interview by President Obama with the Indonesian media, if at all possible, would be very helpful in this regard. OSIUS