NSC Senior Director Ramamurthy discusses S&T with former

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000155 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR STAS, OES, AND EAP DEPT PASS TO OSTP JASON RAO NSC FOR P. RAMAMURTHY COMMERCE FOR NOAA BANGKOK FOR RDM/A E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TSPL TBIO SCUL SENV ENRG PGOV ID SUBJECT: NSC Senior Director Ramamurthy discusses S&T with former President Habibie ¶1. (SBU) The U.S. Science Envoy effort is already yielding results by laying the foundation for expanded science and technology (S&T) cooperation. NSC Senior Director for Global Engagement Pradeep Ramamurthy, Ambassador and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Senior Advisor Jason Rao met on January 27 with the power center of Indonesia's S&T community, including Former President B.J. Habibie, representatives from the Indonesia Academy of Sciences, Indonesia Institute of Science, and the International Islamic Forum for Science Technology and Human Resources Development (IIFTIHAR),to discuss increasing U.S.-Indonesia science and technology cooperation on January 27. Habibie and S&T interlocutors welcomed greater S&T engagement with the U.S. ¶2. (SBU) Habibie emphasized the importance of science and technology cooperation for bilateral relations and for economic development. He also asked that President Obama speak before the IIFTIHAR or before the Indonesian Academy of Sciences during his upcoming visit. (Note: IIFTIHAR is a global Muslim science organization established in 1996 by Muslim intellectuals from 84 NGO Islamic organizations. President Habibie is its chairman.) President Habibie also pointed out that President Yudhoyono (SBY) gave credibility to the Academy of Science when he became the first Indonesian president to deliver a speech there January 20. In this speech, SBY articulated a national science policy for Indonesia. SBY decided to give the speech after being invited to attend a lecture Science Envoy Bruce Alberts planned to give to the Indonesian Academies. SBY's speech would most likely not have happened without U.S. engagement on S&T through the Science Envoy effort. ¶3. (SBU) The Science Envoy effort is advancing in Indonesia despite the postponement of Science Envoy Dr. Bruce Alberts' January visit. White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Senior Advisor Jason Rao covered many of the events originally scheduled for Dr. Alberts when the latter was sidelined by an injury. Rao's visit (details reported septel) showed Indonesians that President Obama's Cairo speech was real. As promised, he is sending out envoys to discuss possibilities for S&T collaboration, including establishing centers of excellence. Indonesia expressed eagerness to collaborate. ¶4. (SBU) The visit underscored, however, that the U.S. could be more effective in seizing opportunities for collaboration on research and development and "stem" (science, technology, engineering, math) education exchanges. The U.S. trails behind some other countries in the region such as Japan, China, and Australia who have been making things work in these areas. The U.S. Science Envoy effort thus far has bolstered the Indonesian Academy of Sciences, which promises to be a partner for S&T cooperation, starting with building an evidence-based policy structure. ¶5. (U) Senior Director Ramamurthy cleared this message. OSIUS