Cablegate: Burma -- Briefing Indonesia On New U.S. Approach

VZCZCXRO4523
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1813 3031011
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301011Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3697
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001813

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ID BM
SUBJECT: BURMA -- BRIEFING INDONESIA ON NEW U.S. APPROACH

REF: JAKARTA 1628 AND PREVIOUS

1. (U) SUMMARY: Mission continues to engage Indonesian
government and civil society on the results of the USG's
Burma policy review. GOI officials praise the U.S.
commitment to use a judicious mix of engagement, sanctions,
and international and regional coordination to address the
situation. Civil society supports our continued objective of
progress toward a peaceful, prosperous and reformed Burma.
Indonesians--recognizing their role as the leading democracy
in the region--want to work with the U.S. on ways to move the
process forward. Mission has handed out statements re Burma
made by the Secretary and the EAP Assistant Secretary,
including his recent testimony given on Capitol Hill. END
SUMMARY.

REVIEWING NEW APPROACH WITH GOI CONTACTS

2. (U) Mission continues to engage key Indonesian contacts
regarding the United States' new approach toward Burma.
Mission has briefed Indonesian officials at the Presidential
Palace, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Vice
President's Office and key members of Parliament on the new
policy. As reported in reftels, Mission contacts have
praised the USG's policy review, seeing it as resulting in
something more pragmatic and more likely to result in
eventual change in Burma. They have also underlined that
Indonesia wants to work closely with the U.S. on ways to
bring about change in Burma.

MISSION EVENT FOR CIVIL SOCIETY

3. (U) Mission also hosted a large briefing and discussion
on Burma on October 28. The discussion was specifically
meant for civil society activists, including those from the
women's, labor and general human rights sectors. Officials
from the Vice President's Office, members of Parliament
(DPR), and officials from the policy planning and human
rights offices of the Department of Foreign Affairs also
participated in the event.

4. (U) Mission officers underscored that the United States
has begun a dialogue with the Burmese authorities intended to
promote reform and end the country's international isolation.
We explained that the USG continues to seek a unified,
peaceful, prosperous and democratic Burma. We realized that
neither sanctions nor engagement, implemented alone, have
succeeded in transforming Burma. We will continue to press
the Burmese government to release all political
prisoners--including Aung San Suu Kyi--and begin a genuine
dialogue with the democratic opposition and ethnic minority
groups. We expect that engagement with the Burmese will be a
long slow process.

5. (U) Mission officials underscored that Indonesia, as the
leading democracy in ASEAN, had a special role to play on
this matter. Indonesia, for example, could leverage its Bali
Democracy Forum initiative and engage Burma in the area of
elections. Mission also handed out statements re Burma made
by the Secretary and the EAP Assistant Secretary, including
his recent testimony given on Capitol Hill.

6. (U) Indonesian contacts at the event were supportive
toward the U.S. approach. A key foreign policy advisor to
Vice President Boediono--who had just returned from Myanmar
on an official trip--agreed that Indonesia has a special role
to play in promoting democracy in Burma. The GOI looks
forward to working with us as the new policy moves forward.
A DPR member told us that Indonesia's transition from a
military-dominated authoritarian government to a
democracy--without widespread reprisals against the
military--could serve as a model for Burma. Indonesia's
success in addressing ethnic separatist conflicts in regions
like Aceh could also show Burma how to tackle similar
regional problems, the contact related.

NEXT STEPS
7. (U) Mission plans to maintain its robust engagement with
Indonesian contacts on Burma. This will include further
discussions with GOI officials, and outreach to civil society
and student groups.
HUME

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