GOI CONCERNED ABOUT LANGUAGE IN DRAFT FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000896 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, H NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV ID SUBJECT: GOI CONCERNED ABOUT LANGUAGE IN DRAFT FOREIGN RELATIONS ACT Classified By: Ambassador Cameron R. Hume, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (U) This is an Action Request -- Please see para 5. ¶2. (C) The Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs called in the Ambassador on May 25 for a meeting to discuss draft U.S. Congressional legislation. The language regarding West Papua in Section 1123 of the draft Foreign Relations Authorization Act, as currently written, undermines the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Indonesia, a senior GOI official told Ambassador Hume. During the meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Triyono Wibowo conveyed to Ambassador Hume that the GOI believes the language is a deliberate attempt to question the political status of the Papuan region. Ambassador Retno Marsudi, the Director General for American and European Affairs, also raised the language in the draft legislation with EAP Deputy Assistant Secretary Marciel on May 21. ¶3. (C) The Deputy Foreign Minister asked the U.S. Executive Branch to work "to remedy" the language with Capitol Hill. According to the GOI, the draft language contains unsubstantiated claims, factual errors and outdated information. Senior GOI officials noted the positive progress in our bilateral relationship and requested that the language be deleted so that both countries could continue to develop a closer bilateral relationship. ¶4. (U) The Deputy Foreign Minister gave Ambassador Hume a copy of a letter from the Indonesian Embassy in Washington addressed to Congressman Berman and a copy of the draft of H.R. 2410, Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011. The documents have been scanned and sent separately to EAP/MLS. ¶5. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Mission believes that the Indonesian government's concerns have significant merit--the draft House language is full of errors and various claims. It is tendentious. We urge that the Department work with Congress to remove this language, so that this matter does not become an irritant in the broader relationship. Please advise. END ACTION REQUEST. HUME