Cablegate: Indonesia - Trilateral Strategic Issues
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R 280255Z SEP 07
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SUBJECT: INDONESIA - TRILATERAL STRATEGIC ISSUES
1. (SBU) Summary. The missions of Australia, the U.S. and Japan in
Indonesia, at a September 20 meeting, agreed to pursue several
issues in close coordination, including avian influenza sample
sharing, encouraging better Government of Indonesia (GOI) compliance
with UN 1267 Al-Qaeda-related asset freezing, and air and port
security. Other issues raised for further discussion include
avoided deforestation and climate change and political outlook for
the 2009 elections in Indonesia. End Summary.
2. (SBU) The Australian Embassy hosted a meeting with the U.S. and
Japan on September 20 to discuss trilateral strategic issues. The
goal was to enhance existing cooperation and coordination beyond
counter-terrorism. The three missions agreed to several areas of
mutual cooperation, including to raise with the Government as
Indonesia (GOI) as appropriate. These include:
-- Urging the GOI to resume full avian influenza sample sharing.
-- Encouraging better GOI compliance with UN 1267 Freezing of Al
Qaeda-related assets.
-- Approaching the GOI on permission for Australian and U.S. air
marshals to bring weapons on flights and to store them securely at
Indonesian airports between flights.
-- Indonesia's political outlook for 2009 elections.
3. (SBU) On avian influenza sample sharing, all three missions
discussed the fact that only 4 of the last 26 samples were shared,
and of the 4, only one worked. The Japan Embassy said former Prime
Minister Abe had raised it with the GOI and all agreed it is a
vitally important issue. On the issue of UN 1267 asset freezing
compliance, we decided to add this to the regular meetings of the
Trilateral Counter-terrorism Group the U.S. Embassy already chairs
with other missions. All three missions agreed to raise it as
appropriate with the GOI. Australia had approximately 41 scheduled
return flights to Indonesia each week and the U.S. only one
(Continental Guam to Singapore), and agreed to take the lead on the
air marshal issue. The U.S. has raised the issue with the GOI most
recently. TSA hosted an Indonesia delegation to the U.S. to meet
with Federal Air Marshals in August 2007 and has requested a follow
on meeting for November with the GOI's Ministry of Transportation.
4. (SBU) On climate change, former Prime Minister Abe raised with
the GOI, reducing greenhouse gases by half by 2050. Indonesia has
50% of the world's peat forests and avoided deforestation and
reforestation are crucial. We agreed this would be a useful topic
for discussion at future trilateral meetings. We also discussed
ways to encourage Indonesia's constructive foreign policy role in
the United Nations Security Council, the Middle East and Iran.
HUME