ABKHAZIA/SOUTH OSSETIA -- URGING INDONESIA TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000455 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, EUR, EUR/CARC NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2019 TAGS: PREL PBTS ID GG SUBJECT: ABKHAZIA/SOUTH OSSETIA -- URGING INDONESIA TO AVOID RECOGNITION AND NOT TO LEND LEGITIMACY REF: STATE 24186 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Mission has reviewed Department's points related to Georgia with the GOI. Indonesia has no intention of recognizing either Abkhazia or South Ossetia as independent countries or lending legitimacy in any way to their self-proclaimed status. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Per reftel instructions, poloff urged Indonesia to avoid any actions that would lend legitimacy to the breakaway Georgian areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In a March 16 discussion with Cicilia Rusdiharini, Deputy Director for American Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU),poloff underscored that recognition of the self-proclaimed republics was inconsistent with UN Security Council Resolution 1808 and could exacerbate tensions in the region. ¶3. (C) Rusdiharini responded that Indonesia fully respected Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and had no plans to recognize either Abkhazia or South Ossetia. ¶4. (C) Per DEPLU's comments, the GOI is sensitive to any international actions that might set a negative precedent for Indonesia as a multi-ethnic state with a history of regional independence struggles. Indonesia has so far, for example, not recognized Kosovo for that reason. We believe there is very little chance that Indonesia would support the claims of these two breakaway provinces. HUME