VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJA #2397/01 2430252
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 310252Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6010
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 002397 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS 
DEPT FOR ISN/CTR, FM, WMDT 
DEPT FOR L/NPV 
DEPT PASS TO T BUREAU SKOCH 
OSD PASS TO JREID 
OSD/GC FOR CALLEN 
DOE/NNSA FOR MMALLIN 
NSC FOR CLEDDY 
HHS/OGHA FOR BSTEIGER 
USDA/ARS FOR PWHUNG 
USDA/APHIS FOR JANNELLI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TRGY KNNP ENRG KTIA ID
 
SUBJECT: BEP-US MOU NEGOTIATIONS 
 
REF: A) State 112668 
 B) Marcellin-Rao August 20 Email 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. On August 21, Desra Percaya, Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs (DEPLU) Director for International Security and Disarmament 
told us that Indonesia is ready to conclude a bilateral Biosecurity 
Engagement Program (BEP) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).  Percaya 
provided us with written comments (Ref B) to USG questions (Ref A). 
The Government of Indonesia (GOI) sees the BEP MOU as a high-level 
umbrella agreement, with side issues, such as a negotiated liability 
clause left to agency-specific implementing agreements.  Percaya 
asked about next steps and made clear that the Indonesian team would 
like to wrap up the agreement soon.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On August 21, the Indonesian DEPLU team of Desra Percaya, 
Andy Rachmianto (Deputy Director for Disarmament) and Adhyanti 
Sardanarini Wirajuda (DEPLU staffer and daughter of Minister of 
Foreign Affairs Nur Hassan Wirajuda) met with  Dr. Jason Rao, BEP 
Coordinator (ISN CTR) and embassy officials to discuss the 
Biosecurity Engagement Program MOU.  The Indonesian team prepared a 
written response to the questions raised in ref A.  Although the 
responses are not detailed, the Indonesians made clear that they see 
the MOU as a "high-level" agreement. GOI prefers that side issues 
such as negotiated liability clauses belong in agency-specific 
implementing agreements. 
 
¶3. (U) A GOI interagency group generated the counter-draft after two 
long days of BEP MOU discussions.  All agencies agreed that separate 
implementing agreements specific to their work should supplement the 
umbrella MOU -- thus the Indonesian counter draft has eliminated 
much of the specific language on liability, and some other 
provisions. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The U.S. team made clear that the MOU must address certain 
provisions (such as liability) either directly or by specifying that 
future implementing arrangements would contain these clauses.  The 
Indonesians understood but explained that the Indonesian precedent 
was to move such clauses into implementing agreements. Trying to 
address specific issues in the interagency umbrella MOU, they said, 
would overburden the system here and stall the negotiations. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Indonesian team understands the nature of the work and 
wants this important collaboration. Percaya and Rachmanto cited the 
recent outbreak of the foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom 
and noted that BEP MOU would help prevent similar lab accidents at 
Indonesian laboratories such as Balitvet.  They share our concerns 
about security issues at Balitvet and are eager to address them 
through the MOU. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Indonesian team asked about next steps and made clear 
that they would like to wrap up the agreement very soon. 
Specifically, Adhyanti Wirajuda needs to finalize the agreement 
before her November transfer to the United Nations. We responded 
that the USG would provide a new draft soon after an interagency 
discussion of GOI answers.  Percaya noted that if our counter draft 
agreed to move the items in question into implementing agreements, 
the GOI would likely be ready to conclude and sign. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment. The written GOI response does not capture the 
genuine interest and positive attitude the group had toward 
concluding the agreement.  The ease which this agreement has 
progressed so far should be seen in stark contrast to other more 
contentious issues, such as the slower-moving NAMRU-2 agreement and 
stalled WHO negotiations on avian flu strain exchange. We believe 
that DEPLU would particularly like the agreement to conclude soon as 
this would represent a professional achievement for the Foreign 
Minister's daughter Adhyanti Wirajuda.  We should capitalize on the 
Indonesian's willingness to conclude this quickly.  This MOU also 
will lay the foundation for an implementing agreement with the 
Ministry of Health that is needed for delivering training and 
support at the National Institute of Health Research and Development 
-- one of our current Embassy priorities. Ambassador Hume is eager 
to sign this agreement in Jakarta as soon as possible.  End 
Comment. 
 
 
 
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