VZCZCXYZ0004
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJA #1077/01 1062236
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 162236Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEANHA/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE IMMEDIATE 5940
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4368

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001077 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EEB/TRA/AN, AND CA/OCS 
SINGAPORE FOR FAA - WALSH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR CASC ID
SUBJECT: ANNOUNCEMENT OF FAA CATEGORY 2 DOWNGRADE OF 
INDONESIA 
 
REF: A. STATE 39366 
     ¶B. JAKARTA 906 
     ¶C. JAKARTA 931 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request for the Department of 
Transportation and/or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); 
please see para 6. 
 
¶2. (SBU) We delivered news of the FAA's decision to downgrade 
Indonesia to Category Two under the International Aviation 
Safety Assessment (IASA) program to Minister of 
Transportation M. Hatta Rajasa on April 4.  In that meeting, 
FAA representatives noted that the FAA had reached the 
decision on an urgent basis without an IASA review.  We also 
informed Rajasa of the likely imminent release of a downgrade 
announcement by the FAA.  It appears on April 5, the FAA 
changed Indonesia's category rating on the IASA excel 
spreadsheet on its website to reflect Indonesia's new status. 
 However, there was no public announcement of the downgrade, 
and neither the U.S. nor Indonesian mainstream media has 
picked up the news. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Partially in response to the FAA's decision, Post 
held an Emergency Action Committee (EAC) meeting on March 29 
(ref B) to discuss civil aviation issues.  The EAC agreed to 
issue a warden message and suggest updates to the Consular 
Information Sheet (CIS) for Indonesia to update American 
citizens about the civil aviation situation in Indonesia. 
Post and Washington agreed on language for the CIS and warden 
message the week of April 9; both documents mention the FAA 
downgrade.  In addition they recommend that American citizens 
flying to Indonesia should, "fly directly to their 
destinations on international air carriers from countries 
whose civil aviation authorities meet international aviation 
safety standards for the oversight of their air carrier 
operations based on the FAA IASA program".  This 
recommendation, which may prove highly controversial here 
when it becomes public knowledge, follows directly from the 
FAA's decision to downgrade Indonesia's IASA rating. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In our view, neither the CIS nor the Warden message 
is an appropriate vehicle to announce a significant and 
potentially controversial FAA regulatory action such as the 
Indonesia downgrade.  The CIS is posted on the State 
Department website without a press release, and the 
information relating to civil aviation is located on page 5 
of the document.  Embassy warden messages are posted on the 
Embassy website and sent electronically to American citizens, 
hotels, American businesses, and others.  Media outlets in 
Jakarta do not receive the warden messages directly. 
Although the media would likely get wind of the downgrade 
from the warden message, neither the CIS nor Warden message 
would explain the justification behind the downgrade.  The 
FAA needs to publicize its decision-, not the Embassy. 
 
Delay Impacting on Civil Aviation Reform 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Although we understand some trade press is aware of 
the FAA's action, delay in formally announcing the downgrade 
is also affecting our ability to leverage it into reforms to 
improve the civil aviation sector.  Although officials at the 
Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) were taken 
aback in the April 5 meeting by the news of the imminent 
downgrade, and were initially open to a FAA Technical Review, 
they now appear to be backpedaling.  In a meeting on April 
11, DGCA Director of Safety, Iing Iskandar, thanked us for 
"keeping the downgrade out of the public eye."  Iskandar also 
expresses hope that Indonesia could marshal documentation to 
upgrade their ranking prior to its release.  Iskandar passed 
on Director General Budhi Suyitno's doubts about an FAA 
Technical Review and the funding mechanism for it. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Finally, the lack of public information on the FAA's 
decision is impacting on the Embassy's ability to reach out 
to high level GOI officials, since, in the absence of public 
awareness of the issue, most do not see it as a high profile 
issue with much impact on Indonesian civil aviation. 
 
Action Request 
-------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) We request the FAA/Department of Transportation 
issue its standard press release announcing the FAA 
downgrade, with appropriate supporting information, as soon 
as possible, preferably on April 16. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Post appreciates the FAA's assistance and expertise 
and hopes prompt action can help increase the momentum for 
change in the Indonesian civil aviation sector. 
 
HEFFERN 
HEFFERN