Cablegate: Indonesian Presidential Inauguration -- Pressing

VZCZCXRO7676
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1568 2600702
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 170702Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3358
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001568

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP
NSC FOR D. WALTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM OVIP ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIAN PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION -- PRESSING
FOR SUITABLE U.S. DELEGATION

REF: JAKARTA 1509

1. (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please
handle accordingly.

2. (U) Indonesia's People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) will
inaugurate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for his second term as
President and Boediono (one name only) as Vice President on
October 20. Although the MPR does not plan to send official
invitations to foreign delegations, we have been told that it
would welcome delegations from countries which wish to send
them.

3. (SBU) We understand that Australia is sending its Prime
Minister to the inauguration. Several ASEAN countries are
reportedly planning to send their heads of state. New
Zealand is considering sending its Foreign Minister. The
Japanese Embassy has indicated privately that its Foreign
Minister may attend, but told us that it awaits a signal on
the level of U.S. participation. We do not believe that
European states will be sending high-level delegations.

4. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Mission believes that the U.S.
should send a suitable delegation headed by someone who is
well-known and perhaps has connections to Asia and Indonesia.
We believe that the delegation's stature should be
commensurate with the growing importance of the U.S.-
Indonesia relationship. We would appreciate Washington's
near-term review of this matter. END ACTION REQUEST.

OSIUS

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