VZCZCXRO8655
OO RUEHBZ RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #3275/01 3331003
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291003Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7209
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHJA/ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1661
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 2085
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1207
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 3577
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 0475
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0755
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0135
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 003275 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, NEA, NEA/IR, NEA/IPA 
NSC FOR EPHU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KISL ID IS XF
SUBJECT: MIDDLE EAST -- UNDERSCORING THE USG'S COMMITMENT 
TO PEACE 
 
REF: A. JAKARTA 3166 B. JAKARTA 725 
 
JAKARTA 00003275  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) This message is Sensitive But Unclassifed -- Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  The DCM and the Palestinian Ambassador to 
Indonesia participated in a public discussion on the 
Annapolis Conference on November 28.  In a country where for 
many years such public discussions have typically turned into 
blistering attacks on the U.S., the audience that attended 
this event sponsored by a leading Muslim organization was 
refreshingly open-minded about the prospects for progress. 
Reacting to Annapolis, media commentary here has been mixed, 
while noting that there is still much work needed to be done 
by the parties.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  CORDIAL DISCUSSION:  On November 28, the DCM 
joined Palestinian Ambassador Fariz Mehdawi in a public 
discussion on the "Viability of the Annapolis Conference and 
the Future of the Palestinian State."   The English-language 
discussion was organized on short notice by the Centre for 
Dialogue and Cooperation Among Civilizations, a think-tank 
founded by Din Syamsuddin, chair of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's 
second-largest Muslim organization with over 30 million 
members. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) About 50 influential Indonesians and diplomats 
attended, including ambassadors from Egypt and Lebanon, top 
level civil society figures, Muslim leaders and youth, senior 
foreign affairs officials, members of parliament, and several 
journalists.  Syamsuddin, despite his recent public 
skepticism regarding the Annapolis Conference, set the 
cordial tone of the discussion by stating the evening would 
be a friendly exchange of views.  The moderator, Uni Lubis, 
head of news at ANTV, a local television channel, began the 
discussion by describing her recent visit to Israel and 
Palestinian areas as part of a delegation of senior 
Indonesian journalists invited by Israel. 
 
¶5.   (SBU) ENVOY'S REMARKS:  Palestinian Ambassador Fariz 
Mehdawi led off with remarks that the international community 
is essential to solving the conflict, adding, "President Bush 
said two states is the solution, and he is the first 
president to state this clearly."  He said the U.S. realizes 
the strategic importance of solving this issue because of the 
danger that rising radicalism poses to the world.   Other key 
players in the Middle East are also actively supporting the 
peace process in Annapolis.  Secretary Rice has been visiting 
the region frequently and the two sides have been working 
hard to establish a dialogue.  After so many broken promises, 
Annapolis is a starting point, Mehdawi said, adding:  "We are 
optimistic.  We hope that all the parties that come to 
Annapolis will remain with us."  One negative theme in his 
remarks was the need for the U.S. to actively pressure Israel 
for concessions. 
 
 
¶6.   (SBU) STRESSING KEY POINTS:  DCM highlighted the 
Department's themes on the Annapolis Conference and the Joint 
Understanding.  The DCM noted that the conference is the most 
serious engagement between Israel and Palestine in a long 
time, an opportunity that the parties should seize, and that 
there is a timeline which the two parties have agreed upon. 
Annapolis is the beginning of a long process, he said. 
President Bush is the first President to state the two-state 
solution so clearly.  DCM added that the goals of the 40-plus 
countries with representatives in Annapolis were the same -- 
Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and 
security. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) REBUTTAL ON HAMAS ISSUE:  The DCM rebuffed 
Ambassador Mehdawi's criticism that the U.S. has been a 
neutral bystander by noting our very proactive role.  He 
responded to a comment by an M.P. from a Muslim political 
party that Hamas should be part of the process by pointing 
out that "it is entirely unreasonable to expect one party to 
negotiate with another party which does not recognize its 
 
JAKARTA 00003275  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
right to exist."  The DCM commended Indonesian Foreign 
Minister Hassan Wirajuda's participation at the conference 
and the valuable input he has given to Secretary Rice in 
prior discussions.  Referring to Indonesia's refusal to 
recognize Israel, the DCM noted that this discussion in 
Jakarta would have been even better if Israel were sitting on 
the panel. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) AUDIENCE BALANCED:  Audience comment was 
surprisingly free of diatribe against the U.S. and Israel. 
One of Indonesia's leading intellectual lights, Clara 
Joewono, Vice Chair of the Centre for Strategic and 
International Studies (CSIS), said she is optimistic for the 
first time in years because of this initiative.  She added 
that President Bush's statement that Palestinians should have 
a state is significant.  One elderly women, a civil society 
leader, who has visited Israel, reflected the general tone of 
the audience by saying, "I don't know the essence of the 
Annapolis conference but I do hope that it can achieve peace. 
 The Palestinians and Israelis are ultimately brothers and 
sisters." 
 
¶9.  (SBU) MEDIA PUSH GOI ROLE:  Reacting to Annapolis, 
Indonesian media has devoted extensive news coverage and 
several editorial pieces to the conference.  Foreign Minister 
Wirajuda was quoted before the conference on November 24 as 
saying, "By participating in the conference, Indonesia 
hopefully can contribute to peace and help end conflict 
between Arabs and Israelis."  Several editorials have urged 
Indonesia to take an active and neutral role to promote 
dialogue between the two sides.  English-language daily "The 
Jakarta Post" commented November 29 that Indonesia "can play 
its part" by convincing Hamas it will not get international 
sympathy if it continues to deny the existence of Israel. 
Leading daily "Kompas" commented November 28, "Indonesia must 
change its approach from an exclusive one to an inclusive 
one, to become a mediator, a neutral party so that Indonesia 
better understands what both parties want."    A small 
anti-Annapolis Conference rally was held by several Muslim 
organizations in front of the U.S. Embassy on November 27. 
The rally received little coverage. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) U.S. ROLE APPRECIATED:  Indonesian officials and 
the public have been very skeptical of the Middle East peace 
process in the past and such public discussions as this one 
usually produce criticism of the U.S.   The climate of the 
November 28 discussion sponsored by Muhammidiyah was very 
constructive, however, perhaps partly due to its 
English-language format.  Besides our clear and popular 
statement of support for a two-state policy, the Indonesian 
government participation in the conference seemed to raise 
the credibility of the process for Indonesians.  Over all, 
Indonesians seem positive about what happened at Annapolis, 
but realistic that much more progress is required by parties. 
HUME