VZCZCXYZ0015
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJA #0165 0251108
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251108Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7758
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1450
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4672
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1926
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4379
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES/ENRC, EAP/MTS/, EAP/RSP 
USFS FOR CMACKIE 
USTR FOR MLINSCOTT, DBROOKS 
USAID FOR CBARBER, MMELNICK 
NSC FOR CEQ CONNAUGHTON, VAN DYKE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV EAID KGHG ECON PGOV ID
REF: A) 2007 JAKARTA 2643 B) 2007 JAKARTA 2550 C) 2007  JAKARTA 2336 
D) 2007 SINGAPORE 2092 
SUBJECT: ASEAN WIDENS DOOR FOR ENGAGEMENT ON ENVIRONMENT AND TRADE 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Ministerial and Leaders' statements during the 
2007 ASEAN Summit focused on regional environmental initiatives, and 
recognized the significance of the illegal timber trade.  The 
various statements, together with the recent U.S.-China MOU on 
illegal logging, present an opportunity to enhance and deepen 
regional efforts in combating illegal logging and dealing with other 
cross-border environmental and trade issues.  GOI officials express 
strong interest in pushing for ASEAN follow-through, including 
creating a timber/logging component to ASEAN-WEN.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) ASEAN focused on the environment during its 40-year 
anniversary and in the run-up to COP 13 in Bali last December (refs 
A and D).  At the conclusion of the ASEAN Summit on November 20, 
ASEAN leaders signed a "Declaration on Environmental Sustainability" 
at November's Summit.  As anticipated, ASEAN Ministers of 
Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) endorsed a "Ministerial Statement on 
Strengthening Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) in ASEAN" 
at their 29th Meeting in Bangkok on November 1 (ref B).  The 
Ministers reaffirmed ASEAN's commitment to "combating illegal 
logging and its associated trade", and called for strengthening 
forest law enforcement and governance to address this problem -- the 
first specific reference to illegal logging at such a high-level 
ASEAN meeting. 
 
¶3. (U) Immediately following the ASEAN Summit, Leaders at the 3rd 
East Asia Summit (EAS) on November 21 issued a "Singapore 
Declaration on Climate Change, Energy and the Environment".  The 
Declaration specifically highlighted the Heart of Borneo and Coral 
Triangle Initiative (ref C) as important regional environmental 
efforts. 
 
¶4. (SBU) During a meeting on January 24 to discuss the 
U.S.-Indonesia MOU on illegal logging, Indonesian Ministry of 
Forestry (Dephut) officials expressed strong interest in convening a 
regional dialogue involving all ASEAN country members.  They believe 
the ASEAN AMAF statement on illegal logging last fall, which 
Indonesia vigorously advocated, offers the starting block on which 
to engage all of ASEAN.  The Dephut officials feel that a timber 
counterpart -- or component -- to the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement 
Network (ASEAN-WEN) is now an appropriate and politically feasible 
follow-through action.  They add that the U.S.-China MOU on illegal 
logging signed in December and the increased international focus on 
forestry and deforestation in climate change discussions add further 
weight. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment: Concrete action on issues often gathers momentum 
only after ASEAN leaders make these sorts of declarations.  By doing 
so, they provide the necessary high-level political backing for 
regional initiatives.  Initiating a regional dialogue and 
cooperative activities on illegal logging should now be easier, as 
ASEAN and GOI officials have noted (ref B).  End Comment. 
 
HUME