VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJA #1887 2840453
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 100453Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0292
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 3134
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 7833

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001887 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR G/AIAG, EAP/MTS, OES 
DEPARTMENT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER 
CDC FOR COX 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU TBIO AMED EAGR PREL WHO ID
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: ASKING THE INDONESIANS TO SHARE 
SAMPLES 
 
 (U) FROM AMBASSADOR HUME TO AMBASSADOR JOHN LANGE AND DR. 
WILLIAM STEIGER 
 
¶1. (SBU) You and your teams have made remarkable progress in 
consultations with the Indonesians over the avian influenza 
sample sharing impasse.  I understand both sides are willing 
to support a menu of benefits that would be targeted at 
developing countries most in need as well as the use of a 
uniform materials transfer agreement that allows for 
unencumbered sample sharing.  We are now at the point where 
we are working constructively with the Indonesians and the 
Australian chair of the Intergovernmental Meeting on Pandemic 
Influenza Preparedness (IGM) to gain support from the rest of 
the World Health Organization member states for our joint 
position. 
 
¶2. (SBU) But one unfortunate fact remains: Indonesia is still 
not sharing human samples.  And neither scientists nor 
vaccine manufacturers have access to the vast majority of 
Indonesian samples from the past 22 months. Given the 
reservations of many WHO members -- and the sheer complexity 
of the topic -- it may prove impossible to gain consensus at 
the next IGM meeting (whether it occurs in November or 
January).  In the meantime, the world will remain in the dark 
about changes to the virus in Indonesia, the epicenter of 
avian influenza. 
 
¶3. (SBU) We must think creatively on how to get Indonesia to 
share samples, using HHS Secretary Leavitt's upcoming 
bilateral with Minister of Health Siti Supari on the margins 
of the October 25-26 ministerial conference on avian and 
pandemic influenza in Egypt to make our proposal.  One 
possible idea would be to ask Indonesia to release the 51 
samples of the cases it has not shared since January 2007. 
In return, our Centers for Disease Control could agree on a 
bilateral basis to sign the draft materials transfer 
agreement we have developed with the Indonesians.  We might 
also agree to support Indonesia's desire to change the name 
of the Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN) to the 
World Influenza Network (WIN).  Indonesia could decline to 
share future samples until the WHO had fully agreed on a new 
sample sharing regime. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Where does this get us?  First, it would enable 
access to samples we badly need in order to assess the risk 
of a pandemic and to develop vaccine.  Second, it could 
accelerate agreement on a new influenza surveillance network 
at the next IGM.  Member states would take note if the 
country which started the debate and the country most 
critical of Indonesia's position agreed on how to end the 
impasse. 
 
¶5. (SBU) There may be flaws with our suggested proposal; for 
example, the CDC as a WHO collaborating center may not be 
able to sign a materials transfer agreement with Indonesia. 
But the underlying goal remains.  We must find a way to get 
Indonesia to share at least some samples while we work 
together to get approval at the IGM for a new system.  We 
could use the upcoming October 16 videoconference with 
Indonesia to float a proposal for further discussion (and 
possible agreement) by Secretary Leavitt and Minister Supari 
in Egypt.  We would be pleased to engage the Indonesians on 
an informal basis. 
HUME