KOSOVO -- BRIEFING INDONESIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000249 DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EUR/SCE (SHIRATORI/TOMLYANOVICH) NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV ICJ KV ID SUBJECT: KOSOVO -- BRIEFING INDONESIA REF: A. STATE 11928 ¶B. JAKARTA 223 Classified By: Pol/C Jseph L. Novak, reasns 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Mission has brieed GOI officials re Kosovo using latest points. Kosovo is a sensitive issue for Indonesia given its history of separatist movements and GOI interlocutors reiterated Indonesia's firm opposition to territorial separation in principle. In view of this, Mission advises against pressing the recognition issue at this time. Aceh Province, which has elections in early April and experienced serious separatist activity unti 2005, is experiencing intermittent turbulence. END SUMMARY. MAKING POINTS ¶2. (C) On February 10, Pol/C discussed reftel Kosovo points with Ambassador Albert Matondang, Deputy for Foreign Affairs at the Coordinating Ministry for Politics, Law and Security. Dep/Pol/C also reviewed them with Bunyan Saptomo, Director for North American Affairs in the Department of Foreign Relations, on February 11. OPPOSED AS MATTER OF PRINCIPLE ¶3. CC) Matondang told Pol/C that Indonesia opposed breakaway regions in principle because of Indonesia's own situation. Indonesia regarded Kosovo's independence as a unilateral move and could not endorse it for that reason. He said Foreign Minister Wirajuda had made Indonesia's position clear in his annual statement on foreign policy in January 2009. (Note: See excerpt of the FM's statement below.) ¶4. (C) Saptomo told Dep/Pol/C that Indonesia was aware of growing international support for Kosovo and this represented a practical reality. In principle, however, Indonesia continued to oppose the separation of Kosovo because of its implications for Indonesian national sovereignty and territorial integrity. FOREIGN MINISTER'S STATEMENT ¶5. (U) Excerpt from FM Wirajuda's statement dated January 23, 2009: -- "Indonesia (has) never failed to ensure that all (UN) members fully comply with fundamental international principles, in particular, respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Therefore, Indonesia (has) consistently rejected unilateral separatism as demonstrated in the cases of Kosovo and Southern Ossetia." LET'S HOLD OFF ¶6. (C) Kosovo is a highly sensitive issue with the GOI because of the country's ethnic diversity and long history of separatist movements, including East Timor's independence with the support of the international community. Aceh Province remains a major concern for the GOI. The former rebel movement, GAM, has yet to disband entirely, and recent instances of political violence in the province have put authorities on edge in view of elections in April (see ref B). For these reasons, we advise against pressing Indonesia hard on this matter at this time. HUME