INDONESIA-AUSTRALIA SIGN MILITARY COOPERATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000070 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, PM, EAP/MTS, PM/PPA, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, EAP/ANZ SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/APSA D.WALTON JOINT STAFF FOR R.CARTER NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ID AS SUBJECT: INDONESIA-AUSTRALIA SIGN MILITARY COOPERATION ACCORD REF: 08 JAKARTA 2210 AND PREVIOUS JAKARTA 00000070 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Indonesian and Australian defense chiefs have signed a working-level understanding on cooperation between their defense forces. The nonbinding "Statement of Joint Understandings" is intended to be supplemented later by a broader, ministerial-level policy document on defense cooperation which is currently under negotiation. Australian Embassy officials are seeking Canberra's permission to share a copy of the document with the USG. END SUMMARY. SIGNING AN UNDERSTANDING ¶2. (U) Indonesia and Australia have signed a military cooperation agreement. Australian Defence Forces (ADF) Commander Air Chief Marshal Allan Grant Houston and Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) Commander General Djoko Santoso signed the "Statement of Joint Understandings" at a ceremony at TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, located south of Jakarta, on January 12. Speaking to the press after the signing ceremony, Santoso and Indonesian Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said the agreement covered cooperation in counterterrorism, maritime security, intelligence, peacekeeping exercises and disaster relief. Activities provided under the agreement would include operations, training, personnel exchanges and surveillance. Houston said the statement supported the Lombok Treaty, a framework bilateral agreement signed in November 2006, and showed that Australia was "committed to working with Indonesia as a partner to build a secure and peaceful region." AUSTRALIAN BRIEFING ¶3. (C) Australian Embassy Defence Policy Advisor Paul Iozzi briefed PolMilOff on the document, officially titled "Statement of Joint Understandings." Iozzi said he would seek Canberra's permission to share the text of the statement with Mission and expected Canberra would approve. Mission will forward a copy of the text to Department and the Pentagon upon receipt. ¶4. (C) Iozzi said the statement signed by the two military chiefs was "a nonbinding" understanding targeted at sponsoring "concrete aspects of cooperation" between the respective defense forces. It would eventually be supplemented at the ministerial level by a binding defense cooperation agreement, currently under negotiation, which would be somewhat longer and more detailed. Both agreements would contain similar principles and priorities for engagement and would essentially formalize current areas and types of cooperation. Both would be consistent with the Lombok Treaty. AUSTRALIA: WORKING TOWARD A DEFENSE AGREEMENT ¶5. (C) Despite some overlap with other accords, Iozzi explained, Canberra thought it useful to have a separate document at the force level since the Indonesian military was not fully subordinate to the Department of Defense (DEPHAN) and might remain so for some time. Moreover, the mil-mil "understanding"--essentially little more than a "gentlemen's agreement"--would not require formal approval by the national legislature (DPR),whereas a DCA would. ¶6. (C) Note: The draft Indonesia-Australia DCA is based on JAKARTA 00000070 002.2 OF 002 the same text that DEPHAN provided to the USG in proposing a similar Indonesia-United States agreement. The USG and the GOI are currently reviewing this proposal. HEFFERN