VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJA #0013/01 0030821
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030821Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7546

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000013 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS AND OES/STC/EKANE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV TPHY TBIO TRGY ENRG ID
SUBJECT: EMBASSY JAKARTA PROPOSAL FOR SCIENCE FELLOWS 
 
REF: A) SECSTATE 30914  B) JAKARTA 3471  C) JAKARTA 2712  D) JAKARTA 
2336 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  Embassy Jakarta would like to express its interest 
in the Embassy Science Fellows Program (ESFP) and request Department 
assistance in identifying up to two interested candidates focused on 
marine affairs, preferably from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration. Embassy Jakarta has an important opportunity to 
support two top Government of Indonesia priorities in 2008:  1) the 
Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (Ina-TEWS); and 2) The Coral 
Triangle Initiative (CTI). 
 
¶2. (U) Recruiting a highly qualified candidate(s) under the ESFP 
will, among other benefits:  1) increase technical support for key 
U.S. environmental initiatives; 2) expand the relationship between 
U.S. government agencies, the Embassy, and the Indonesia government; 
3) support OES' emphasis on creating genuine partnerships with 
scientists in the Muslim world; and 4) set a precedent for future 
ESFP candidates that demonstrates the exciting projects that are 
available in Indonesia.  The Embassy is prepared to provide office 
space, appropriate housing, and local travel costs.  End Summary. 
 
SUMMARY OF INA-TEWS AND CTI 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Indonesia has moved aggressively to develop the Ina-TEWS, 
that, when completed, will serve as a cornerstone of the Indian 
Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS).  The IOTWS is a regional 
system of national tsunami warning systems designed to provide 
warning services across the Indian Ocean basin. Indonesia has set an 
initial goal of deploying 22 tsunameters and developing the 
infrastructure needed to maintain them before the end of 2008.  This 
project is led by the State Ministry for Research and Technology 
(RISTEK) and is a high priority for Indonesia. 
 
¶4. (U) The Coral Triangle, a marine area stretching across the 
waters between Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Solomon Islands, 
contains the richest marine biodiversity in the world, including 
some of the highest levels of coral diversity and globally important 
fish spawning and production areas.  The GOI has referred to the 
Triangle as the marine equivalent of the Amazon and Congo basins. 
The area supports the livelihoods of some 126 million people.  The 
GOI has taken a leadership role through the CTI, a multilateral 
program seeking to protect this important ecosystem, raising it to 
the agenda of the 13th United Nations FCCC Conference of Parties 
(COP-13) meeting on climate change in Bali this December.  The USG 
has announced its intention to commit $4.35 million in new funds to 
CTI.  The GOI has specifically requested that NOAA have a role in 
CTI (REFTEL B). 
 
PROPOSED ACTIVITIES UNDER THE PROGRAM 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Embassy Jakarta sees one or two Fellows focusing on 
activities with the GOI on the Ina-TEWS, CTI, and other marine 
affairs projects.  We have already laid some of the groundwork for 
support of the Ina-TEWS in partnership with NOAA and have begun 
development of an Ina-TEWS Public Private Partnership with 
interested U.S. companies in Indonesia.  The ESFP would allow a NOAA 
representative to focus full time on cultivating that Partnership. 
 
 
¶6. (U) There are several additional potential areas for 
collaboration with NOAA.  The GOI has specifically requested that 
NOAA play a part in the implementation of the CTI, for example.  A 
Fellow could help us determine details on possible collaboration 
with NOAA within our program to support this high profile 
initiative.  A Fellow could also potentially support USAID's 
Fisheries Program, which seeks to work with the fisheries industry 
to reduce negative environmental impacts and promote sustainable 
business models. 
 
BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION IN ESFP 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) We see several potential benefits to recruiting one or two 
candidates, preferably from NOAA, under the ESFP: 
 
-- Support for U.S. programs: The U.S. has already expressed 
financial and political support for the Ina-TEWS, CTI, and other 
marine initiatives such as building sustainable fisheries.  NOAA 
scientists have the scientific and technical expertise to help us 
guide and prioritize that support. 
 
-- Creating a link to other NOAA programs:  NOAA's participation in 
Ina-TEWS, CTI, or other activities could extend beyond their tenure 
in Indonesia and would help us develop the right future role for 
NOAA's coral and other related programs. 
 
-- Strengthening U.S.-Indonesian relations:  We have already seen 
the great cooperation between NOAA and GOI scientific and technical 
agencies through the IOTWS.  Recruiting one or two NOAA scientists 
to support Indonesian initiatives will be well received by our 
Indonesian counterparts and will support OES' emphasis on creating 
genuine partnerships with scientists in the Muslim world. 
 
-- Setting a Precedent:  Participation in this program could serve 
as the launch for a regular ESFP program here in Jakarta.  We can 
build on momentum created by successes under Ina-TEWS or CTI to 
attract interested scientists from other agencies to work with our 
mission, leveraging the full expertise and intellectual resources of 
the U.S. government. 
 
LOGISTICS 
--------- 
 
¶8. (U) Embassy Jakarta is prepared to provide logistical support for 
up to two prospective Fellows under the ESFP guidelines.  We would 
provide secure office space on the embassy compound with appropriate 
computer, email and internet access. We will provide appropriate 
housing in one of our several TDY apartments.  The Fellows would 
also have access to the Embassy Health Unit (pending appropriate 
medical clearances), FPO and CLO.  Embassy Jakarta's preferred 
timeline is an April/May 2008 arrival, July/August 2008 departure. 
 
 
 
HUME