INDONESIA AND THE NETHERLANDS MOVE TOWARD A

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000090 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS, EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP, EUR/WE NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV EAIR ID NL SUBJECT: INDONESIA AND THE NETHERLANDS MOVE TOWARD A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT JAKARTA 00000090 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Indonesia and the Netherlands pledged to conclude a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement during FM Verhagen's January 14-15 visit to Indonesia. The Partnership would deepen the two countries' cooperation in security, economic development, environmental protection, education and culture. They also agreed on separate deals for legal and aviation cooperation. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY (Con'd): Verhagen also discussed sensitive human rights issues with civil society leaders, although this element of the visit was not publicized in the media. Overall--with talk of the Netherlands being Indonesia's "gateway to Europe"--the visit sounded a positive note in the often contentious relationship between Indonesia and its former colonial ruler. END SUMMARY. DUTCH FM'S VISIT ¶3. (U) Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen visited Jakarta on January 14 for meetings with Indonesian officials and civil society representatives. On January 15, he traveled with FM Wirajuda to Yogyakarta, a city in central Java and Indonesia's premier cultural center, for a courtesy call on Sultan Hamengkobuwono X, Governor of the Special Province of Yogjakarta, and a candidate for president in the 2009 election. While in Yogyakarta, he also participated in events highlighting economic development, education and culture. COMPREHENSIVE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT ¶4. (U) FM Verhagen and FM Wirajuda signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to conclude a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement (CPA). According to our Dutch contacts, the CPA will deepen the two countries' cooperation in security, economic development, environmental protection, education and culture. It also establishes a formal bilateral consultative body and provides for regular senior officials meetings. (Note: Mission has sent a copy of the LOI text to EAP/MTS.) ¶5. (C) Indonesian and Dutch officials agreed on the text of the CPA nearly two years ago but have been unable to sign the document for logistical reasons. For scheduling reasons, the Dutch PM has been unable to travel to Indonesia while President Yudhoyono has refused to travel to Holland because of the EU flight ban. (Note: The EU has banned flights into Europe by all Indonesian airlines due to their poor safety records--see more below.) The two sides agreed to sign the LOI as an interim step and plan to sign the full partnership document sometime in 2010, according to Dutch Embassy contacts. ¶6. (U) Following a meeting with Andi Mattalatta, Minister of Law and Human Rights, Verhagen and Mattalatta announced that Indonesia and the Netherlands would pursue a number of legal agreements. These included MOUs on extradition, legal assistance and the transfer of prisoners. They also announced an agreement to waive visa requirements for Dutch citizens working in Indonesia. "GATEWAY TO EUROPE" ¶7. (C) FM Wirajuda praised the overall strength of the two countries' relations and said Holland would be Indonesia's "gateway to trade relations with the European Union." In furtherance of this goal, the Dutch pledged technical assistance to help improve the safety standards of Indonesian airlines. A Dutch Embassy contact told us the EU flight ban had been the most difficult issue in their relations with JAKARTA 00000090 002.2 OF 002 Indonesia of late. Indonesian officials have claimed the ban was politically motivated--something the Europeans deny. The GOI seems happy that the Netherlands has agreed to help them on this matter. HUMAN RIGHTS ¶8. (C) The visit also touched on some sensitive issues, including human rights and the legacy of Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia. Dutch Embassy officer Said Fazili told poloff that FM Verhagen was meeting leaders of human rights organizations in order to discuss the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, the human rights situation in Papua, and threats to religious pluralism in Indonesia. The GOI was particularly sensitive about this meeting and both sides agreed to keep the event low key, according to Faizili. ¶9. (C) FM Verhagen also had a highly emotional meeting with the families of those killed when Dutch forces attacked the village of Rawagede (now know as Balongsari) in East Java in ¶1947. Verhagen reiterated the Dutch government's apologies for the incident. (Note: Dutch troops attacked the village during Indonesia's independence struggle. Villagers said nearly 500 people were killed while a Dutch government report put the total at 150. Anger over the incident and demands for compensation payments have been a bilateral irritant for many years.) A POSITIVE VISIT ¶10. (C) Indonesians bitterly resent the Dutch colonial period and have an allergic reaction to anything that smacks them as lecturing by the Dutch. In that vein, Verhagen's effort to be low key about human rights issues made sense. ¶11. (C) Although the relationship is often tense, Dutch diplomats are often well informed about Indonesia via a wide network of contacts, and the Dutch do maintain close links with Indonesia via educational scholarships and cultural outreach. A number of Indonesians, such as those in the Malukus, Papua, and some Christians in other areas, also maintain close links to the Netherlands. The Netherlands is also a large investor in Indonesia. The agreement to move toward the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement should help bring the countries closer. HEFFERN