AFGHANISTAN CONFERENCE -- INDONESIA CONSIDERING

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000467 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, SCA, SCA/CEN (C.GUEST),EUR/RPM (R.CARLAND) NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV UN ID AF SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN CONFERENCE -- INDONESIA CONSIDERING ATTENDANCE REF: STATE 24422 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Mission has urged Indonesia to attend the March 31 International Conference on Afghanistan in the Hague, per reftel instructions. The Indonesian government is reviewing the matter but has not yet finalized attendance. The Dutch Embassy here told us they expect that FM Wirajuda will attend although this is not yet confirmed. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) On March 17, Pol/C reviewed reftel message regarding the March 31 International Conference on Afghanistan in the Hague with Tri Sukma "Nanu" Djandam of the President's Office of International Affairs. On March 16, Poloff also delivered reftel message to Cicilia Rusdiharini, Deputy Director for American Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU). We underscored that the conference would include key regional states and many other countries, financial donors, NATO allies and other force-contributing countries and international organizations. As the world's largest Muslim-majority democracy, Indonesia could make a valuable contribution to the conference. Mission urged Indonesia to attend at the ministerial level. ¶3. (C) GOI contacts acknowledged the significance of the conference and said Indonesian officials were still reviewing possible attendance. They promised to provide us information about Indonesia's possible participation when the GOI decides what to do. ¶4. (C) Dutch Embassy contacts told us they expect FM Wirajuda to attend the conference but cautioned that this is not yet confirmed. They noted that FM Wirajuda planned to travel to London April 1-2 to join President Yudhoyono at the G-20 Summit. They expect him to attend the conference before that meeting. HUME