VZCZCXRO1227
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0775 1090220
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180220Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8731
INFO RUEHZS/ASEAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 6296
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEANHA/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/TSA HQ WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000775 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EB/A/TRA/DL AND EEB/IFD/ODF-DWILLIAMS 
DEPT PASS FAA HQ 
DEPT PASS TSA HQ 
DEPT PASS EX-IM - JABRAMSON, ECIAMPA 
DEPT PASS COMMERCE - A/S CPADILLA 
SINGAPORE FOR FAA-MWALSH, TSA-ASAHAGIAN, COAST GUARD-PPURGANAN 
 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP ELTN EFIN EAIR EWWT ECON PGOV ID
 
SUBJECT: Indonesian Transportation Minister Positive on GE Bid, 
Civair Law and Working with USG 
 
REF:  A)JAKARTA 00691, B)2007 JAKARTA 00990 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  On April 16, 2008, Ambassador Hume met with 
Minister of Transportation Jusman Syafii Djamal and Director General 
of Rail Wendy Aritenang Yazid to advocate on behalf of General 
Electric's (GE) potential bid for a $55 million locomotives 
contract.  Djamal was generally positive towards GE and its position 
versus competitors.  On the issue of airplane repossessions, he 
indicated an improved process once Indonesia completes revision of 
its civil aviation law.  Djamal praised the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) and 
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) for their work on Indonesian air and seaport 
safety and security issues.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Hume told Djamal GE was a strong competitor in 
terms of its product, including local manufacturing partnerships 
that would result in jobs for Indonesians.  He said he was committed 
to getting USG financing to help GE compete on price.  Djamal said 
GE representatives had met with him to discuss their product and 
Export-Import Bank's (Ex-Im) letter of interest for financing the 
deal.  After GE corrected misconceptions associated with the use of 
the term "soft loan" to describe the Ex-Im financing package, he 
said GE was in a better position to compete.  Djamal named China as 
GE's competition and added, "People prefer the American product." 
He characterized Chinese negotiating practice as setting a low price 
initially, but ultimately charging a higher price. 
 
¶3. (U) Ambassador Hume thanked Djamal for the Ministry's cooperation 
last month in deregistering planes leased by U.S. companies to 
failing Indonesian airline Adam Air (reftel A).  Djamal said over 
the next months Indonesia would revise its civil aviation law.  He 
implied the revisions would include aspects related to the Cape Town 
Treaty, an international treaty that attempts to standardize the 
transactions of movable property, particularly aircraft and aircraft 
engines.  Indonesia ratified the Treaty in April 2007, but there 
remain some questions about implementation of the Treaty among 
interested parties. 
 
¶4. (SBU) About the USG's dealings with the Ministry of 
Transportation, Djamal said, "It's a good relationship."  He said in 
discussions with European Union (EU) representatives, he used the 
FAA as an example of how the countries should work together on air 
safety.  He said when the FAA downgraded Indonesia to category 2 
status (reftel B), the U.S. Ambassador met with him and told him 
"straight" what Indonesia had to do to improve.  He said the EU has 
yet to provide specific requirements that Indonesia must meet to 
lift their ban on Indonesian airlines.  Djamal thanked Ambassador 
Hume specifically for USCG's and TSA's work with the Ministry on 
security at seaports and the Bali airport respectively. 
 
HUME