MINISTER NUMBERI SEEKS ALTERNATE WORLD OCEAN CONFERENCE

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000185 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES AND EAP COMMERCE FOR NOAA USAID FOR ANE, EGAT BANGKOK FOR RDM/A E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV KGHG EAID AORC EFIS PREL ID SUBJECT: MINISTER NUMBERI SEEKS ALTERNATE WORLD OCEAN CONFERENCE SUPPORT REF: A. 09 JAKARTA 53 ¶B. 08 JAKARTA 1880 and previous ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 3. ¶2. (U) On February 4, Ambassador Hume delivered a letter from Mary Glackin, NOAA's Acting Administrator to Freddy Numberi, Minister of Marine Affairs that affirmed NOAA's interest in marine partnership but declined the invitation to send the Okeanos Explorer to Manado for the World Ocean Conference. Ambassador Hume explained that engineering concerns prevented the ship from coming during the May timeframe but that NOAA hoped to send it in 2010 once fully operational. Minister Numberi thanked the Ambassador for post's efforts and noted that he would welcome alternate ways for NOAA to participate in the WOC. ¶2. (SBU) Minister Numberi asked for senior level Washington representation on the U.S. delegation for the WOC and Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit, noting that Australian Prime Minister Rudd had already confirmed his attendance. The Minister plans to request that Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda raise the WOC during a potential meeting with Secretary Clinton. Minister Numberi specifically requested that the Ambassador encourage incoming NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco and interested congressional members to participate. ¶3. (U) The Minister said that he would present information on the WOC at the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) meeting in Nairobi on February 16. The Minister asked that U.S. participants at this meeting register U.S. support for the WOC/CTI. Action Request: Post supports the importance of the WOC and requests that U.S. participants at the UNEP meeting convey USG support. Post's ESTH office will email materials on the WOC and CTI to Embassy Nairobi for possible distribution at the meeting. HUME