AMBASSADOR ENGAGES SENIOR GOI OFFICIAL ON BURMA,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000035 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, NEA, SCA NSC FOR J.BADER AND D.WALTON E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2020 TAGS: PREL KDEM ID BM IR XF AF SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR ENGAGES SENIOR GOI OFFICIAL ON BURMA, IRAN, MIDDLE EAST AND AFGHANISTAN REF: A. 09 STATE 129480 ¶B. 09 STATE 121789 Classified By: Ambassador Cameron R. Hume, reasons 1.4 (b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Ambassador Hume urged Indonesia to press the Burmese government to engage in a dialogue with the democratic opposition, and particularly to allow Aung San Suu Kyi to meet the leadership of her party, during a January 11 meeting with Department of Foreign Affairs Director General Hamzah Thayeb. DG Thayeb agreed that Burmese opposition and ethnic minority groups must participate in the planned election if those elections are to be credible. He said that Indonesia would remain focused on this matter. The Ambassador asked DG Thayeb for Indonesian help pressing Iran to release several detained Americans, briefed him on USG efforts to reinvigorate the Middle East Peace Process, and urged Indonesia to assist the Afghan government. END SUMMARY. BURMA--URGING SUPPORT FOR REFORM ¶2. (C) During a January 11 meeting with Hamzah Thayeb, Director General for Asian and African Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU),Ambassador Hume urged Indonesia to press Burma to undertake reforms in advance of this year's planned elections. Using Ref B points, the Ambassador underscored the importance of the Burmese authorities beginning a dialogue on political participation and democratic reform with the democratic opposition and ethnic minority groups. As a first step, the GOB should allow Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) to meet with the full leadership of the National League for Democracy (NLD). These steps, the Ambassador noted, were critical for Burma's elections to meet minimum international standards of credibility. He urged Indonesia to press this matter during the January 13-14 ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Vietnam. ¶3. (C) DG Thayeb said that Indonesia and the United States had a convergence of views on the need for reform in Burma. Indonesia believed that the GOB must release ASSK and would continue to call for this in ASEAN fora. Indonesia also agreed that the full participation of democratic and ethnic minority groups was critical for credible elections. Indonesian officials, he noted, had pressed Burma on these matters and would do so in the future. However, Thayeb cautioned, the Burmese government usually responded to such pressure by further isolating itself and resisting outside pressure. Indonesia looked to the example of the successful ASEAN-UN efforts following Cyclone Nargis for clues about how best to engage Burma. IRAN--SEEKING HELP WITH DETAINED AMERICANS ¶4. (C) Ambassador Hume asked DG Thayeb for Indonesian help in pressing Iran to release detained and missing Americans, per Ref A instructions. He emphasized that the matter was a humanitarian issue and that Iran should not use any of these individuals for political gain. The USG hoped that the GOI would deliver this message to Tehran. ¶5. (C) DG Thayeb promised that Indonesia would look into the matter of Americans detained and missing in Iran. He noted that Indonesia had helped in similar situations in the past, including its efforts in 2007 to secure the release of several South Koreans from Taliban custody. MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS ¶6. (C) The Ambassador outlined the USG's commitment to re-launching peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians without preconditions as soon as possible. He explained that Special Envoy Mitchell was traveling to Europe for consultations with Quartet members and other key partners and that he planned travel to the Middle East later this month. The United States urged Indonesia, as a key Muslim-majority democracy, to do what it could to promote the peace process. ¶7. (C) In response, DG Thayeb said that Indonesia supported the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. However, he cautioned that it would be difficult to support the Palestinian Authority (PA) in this effort while the PA remained in conflict with Hamas. Still, he conceded that the JAKARTA 00000035 002 OF 002 international community had to encourage and support the parties in the peace process. AFGHANISTAN ¶8. (C) Turning to Afghanistan, Ambassador Hume urged Indonesia to provide assistance to the Afghan government. For stability to take hold in Afghanistan, the country required a functioning government that could maintain security and meet the needs of its people. Indonesia, as a successful example of Islam and democracy, could help this process. The Ambassador encouraged the GOI to move forward with training for the Afghan police as well as other forms of assistance. ¶9. (C) DG Thayeb responded that the situation in Afghanistan was difficult but noted that GOI officials continued to review their policy on the matter. Indonesia did provide assistance in areas like agriculture, education, and health care.* The Afhans' needs in education wre pa rticularly critial, he noted. HUME