Cablegate: Research and Technology Minister Welcomes

VZCZCXRO0270
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2625 2610938
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 180938Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6323
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY

UNCLAS JAKARTA 002625

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DEPT FOR OES/OA, INR/B, EAP/MTS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TPHY EAID KSCA PINR PREL ID
SUBJECT: RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY MINISTER WELCOMES
CONTINUED U.S. ENGAGEMENT ON TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM

1. (SBU) Minister of Research and Technology Kadiman told the
Ambassador during a September 17 courtesy call that he
welcomed continued U.S. involvement on Indonesia's efforts to
build a national tsunami warning system. He expressed
particular appreciation for Embassy efforts towards
developing a public-private partnership involving
corporations based in Indonesia. The Minister also described
the dual challenge of planning both the structural
engineering system elements and the community training
requirements for an end-to-end tsunami warning system.
Alarms and sirens add little value without community
awareness and training on appropriate emergency response.

2. (SBU) Acknowledging the September 12 earthquake/tsunami
off of the southwest coast of Sumatra, the Ambassador
stressed the importance of continuing U.S. collaboration on
the Indonesian Tsunami Warning System. The Ambassador also
applauded Indonesia's efforts in building up its primary and
secondary school system but stressed the importance of also
developing sufficient advanced technical education at the
university level to help address Indonesia's science and
technology challenges. The Ambassador noted that an expert
from the U.S. Geological Survey had arrived in Indonesia for
mudflow consultation and could also meet with Research and
Technology Ministry agencies if appropriate.

3. (SBU) Biographical note: Minister Kadiman has been a
respected member of President Yudhoyono's cabinet since
October 2004. He came under criticism in July 2006 when a
local tsunami hit Java, killing approximately 600 people.
Kadiman was criticized for his Ministry's failure to have
built up sufficient early warning system technology for
creating a tsunami alert. Kadiman was born in Bandung, West
Java in 1954. He earned a doctoral degree in engineering
from the Australian National University in 1988. He has been
a rector at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) since
October 2001.
HUME

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