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