Cablegate: U.S.-Indonesia Security Dialogues

VZCZCXRO3121
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1860 3131122
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091122Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3773
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001860

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, PM
USPACOM FOR J5
SECDEF OSD/ISA/AP
NSC FOR D WALTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ID
SUBJECT: U.S.-INDONESIA SECURITY DIALOGUES

REF: STATE 112900

1. (U) SUMMARY: The United States and Indonesia hold an
annual Strategic Dialogue and biannual Bilateral Defense
Discussions. These discussions are productive, and Mission
seeks to augment them under the proposed U.S.-Indonesia
Comprehensive Partnership by adding an annual set of
strategic consultations, potentially led by the Under
Secretary for Political Affairs, and a separate set of policy
planning talks. END SUMMARY.

REGULAR CONSULTATIONS

2. (U) This cable provides Mission's response to reftel
request for information on bilateral security dialogues. The
primary U.S.-Indonesia security forums are as follows:

-- The Indonesian-United States Strategic Dialogue (IUSSD)
meets annually. Participants include DOD/OSD, the Indonesian
Defense Department, State, the Indonesian Joint Military,
U.S. Joint Staff, DAO, the Office of Defense Cooperation
(ODC), and PACOM;

-- Bilateral Defense Discussions (BDD) are held biannually to
discuss training. PACOM, Service Components, the Indonesian
Joint Staff, and ODC are the key players in these meetings;
and,

-- Ad hoc discussions designed to plan and update IMET are
held as needed. This is a local meeting between the ODC and
the Indonesian Joint Staff.

3. (U) The IUSSD and BDD were established through formal
agreements in 2005. The IUSSD agreement is between OSD and
the Defense Ministry. The BDD agreement is between PACOM and
the Indonesian Joint Staff. The ad hoc discussions are
informal in nature, are based on good relations, and are
conducted when the need to review IMET arises.

4. (U) The location of the IUSSD alternates between the U.S.
and Indonesia. It was last held in July 2009 in Indonesia.
The next meeting is scheduled for June 2010. Like the IUSSD,
the BDD alternates venues, but is normally held twice per
year, in August and January in Jakarta. The last BDD was
held in Honolulu in July 2009, and the next will be held in
January 2010. The DASD co-hosts the IUSSD and the PACOM J50
(Deputy Policy Director) co-chairs the BDD.

APPRAISAL OF DIALOGUES

5. (U) The existing dialogues are generally dynamic and
useful. For example, the last IUSSD focused on the following
specific areas: (1) maritime security/regional
stability/counterterrorism; (2) professionalization and
modernization of the Indonesian military, including civilian
control; and (3) the Indonesian military's ability to respond
to domestic humanitarian crises, overseas peacekeeping
operations and disaster assistance. While the productivity
of a given iteration depends on the depth and level of
preparation of participating officials, dialogues to date
have been productive. The DAO, ODC, and PACOM find them very
particularly useful in providing a framework for ongoing
discussions.

PROPOSED ADDITIONS

6. (U) Under the proposed bilateral Comprehensive
Partnership, the U.S. and Indonesia seek to deepen engagement
on security matters by initiating policy planning and
strategic consultations. The form and timing of these
discussions have yet to be determined, but the planned first
round of strategic consultations would be held during U/S
Burns's visit to Indonesia in early December. Also, a
Defense Cooperation Agreement was first proposed by the
Indonesians at the 2007 IUSSD. Negotiations on the framework
for the DCA are ongoing. Post considers that it would be
useful to conduct regular policy planning talks. As the
November 4-5 visit of Special Advisor for Nonproliferation
and Arms Control demonstrated, regular consultations on
nonproliferation could also be useful for advancing that
agenda.
HUME

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