VZCZCXRO6220
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2266/01 3501033
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151033Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0986
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
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RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 5238
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RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0296
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1508
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA 0093
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RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0911
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 1340
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RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
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RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 002266 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL FOR CCAMPONOVO, S/P, 
DRL; G 
NSC FOR EPHU, PLETTOW 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KDEM XB XD XF
SUBJECT: INDONESIA HOSTS INAUGURAL BALI DEMOCRACY FORUM 
MEETING 
 
REF: JAKARTA 2170 AND PREVIOUS 
 
JAKARTA 00002266  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1.  (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Indonesia hosted the inaugural meeting of 
the Bali Democracy Forum (BDF), December 10-11.  The event 
was attended by 32 Asian countries, and seven observer 
countries from Europe and North America.  The U.S. was 
represented by the Ambassador. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) SUMMARY (Con'd):  The GOI set the tone for the 
discussions, presenting ideas on how to promote regional 
democracy.  Indonesia's foreign minister clearly enunciated 
the need for BDF to reflect liberal democratic values, and 
not just Asian values proposed by some countries.  The 
Institute for Peace and Democracy established under the BDF 
has received sufficient funding to begin concrete 
democracy-building programs.  The GOI is interested in 
linking BDF to the USG's Asia Pacific Democracy Partnership 
initiative through joint training activities.  END SUMMARY. 
 
INDONESIAN PRESIDENT KICKS OFF BDF 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Indonesia hosted the inaugural meeting of the Bali 
Democracy Forum, December 10-11.  President Yudhoyono 
described BDF in his opening remarks as the "first 
inter-governmental forum in Asia about democracy."   Noting 
that Indonesia's own road to democracy was difficult, he 
emphasized that "we overcame" and "as a result, Indonesia 
today is better, stronger and more united."   He added, "I do 
not believe in the notion that democracy is not for Asia." 
 
SOLID PARTICIPATION 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The inaugural meeting was co-chaired by Australian 
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.  Thirty-two Asian countries 
participated--from Kazakhstan to New Zealand and Timor Leste 
(Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao) to Syria (represented by its 
Charge).  Four heads of state attended, including the Sultan 
of  Brunei, along with many ministers.  The U.S. and six 
other Western countries attended as observers.  Ambassador 
Hume attended the opening session, along with a 
representative from DRL who attended the entire conference. 
Umar Hadi, a key advisor to Foreign Minister Yudhoyono and 
the conference's main organizer, told DepPol/C that President 
Yudhoyono noted positively the "strong" U.S. representation 
at an event in which it was an observer. 
 
INDONESIA STRESSES DEMOCRATIC VALUES 
 
¶6. (SBU) Many of the remarks at the meeting were platitudes 
on each country's distinct notion of democracy:  China on 
"socialist democracy," Singapore on rule-of-law, Malaysia on 
"Asian values," and so forth.  Others, such as the Maldives, 
 
JAKARTA 00002266  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
Timor Leste and Mongolia made pleas for practical help in 
bolstering their own fledgling systems.  Indonesia, the 
Philippines and Australia kept the discussion grounded in 
more widely accepted democratic values, Indonesia being the 
most outspoken.  One of Burma's deputy foreign ministers (U 
Kyaw Thu) attended but bowed out of the opportunity to make 
remarks.  China's head of delegation was Yang Wenchang, 
President of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign 
Affairs. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The Indonesian hosts were very active.  Foreign 
Minister Wirajuda and two Indonesian participants--senior 
Parliamentarian Theo Sambuaga and prominent think tanker Dewi 
Fortuna Anwar--all advocated for liberal democratic values. 
Wirajuda, who ran the proceedings, related that although 
Indonesia's economy grew strongly under authoritarianism, the 
system was not sustainable because of lack of political 
development.  Sambuaga cited "civil liberties, equality and 
tolerance" as bedrock democratic principles.  Dewi Fortuna 
Anwar pointed out at the end of the conference that future 
meetings need to include civil society.  Participants need to 
honestly talk about their shortcomings in order for there to 
be a meaningful dialogue, she added.  Most significantly, 
Wirajuda supported his Indonesian colleagues while politely 
refuting closing statements by Singapore, China, and Malaysia 
which had emphasized "common Asian values."  Wirajuda 
affirmed, "We do have a set of common values although we 
cannot ignore each of our own traditional values," clearly 
referring to Indonesia's own democratic system, and those of 
other liberal democracies. 
 
¶8.   (SBU) Wirajuda presented the "Chairman's Conclusion" at 
the end of the conference, stating that the BDF would: 
 
-- Be an inter-governmental forum, not an organization. 
-- Be inclusive of all countries in the region. 
-- Be an "Indonesian initiative" to "garner a sense of shared 
ownership" among participants. 
-- Hold regular ministerials as well as technical workshops 
for officials. 
-- Be open to government observers from outside the region, 
as well as NGOs. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Wirajuda's statement included a number of specific 
work priorities, such as:  strengthening regional cooperation 
on democracy; consolidating democratic institutions 
(electoral processes; political parties; rule of law; 
legislative process, etc.); and, promoting good governance, 
interfaith dialogue, and equity, etc. 
 
A NEW INSTITUTE 
 
¶10.  (SBU) The cornerstone of BDF is the Institute for Peace 
and Democracy located at Bali's University of Udayana.  The 
Institute will organize workshops, conduct research, publish 
 
JAKARTA 00002266  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
papers and set up networks among experts.  President 
Yudhoyono officially opened the institute on December 10.  In 
addition to funding from Indonesia's Foreign Affairs 
Department, Australia is committing three million Australian 
dollars, mostly in the form of exchanges with Australian 
National University's Center for Democratic Institutions. 
Other countries expressed interest in providing funding. 
 
A BDF LINK WITH APDP 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Several countries--South Korea, Mongolia and the 
Philippines--stressed the need for APDP to interact with 
other regional democracy-building bodies, the Asia Pacific 
Democracy Partnership (APDP) in particular.  The GOI, which 
sent a representative to the October BDF in Seoul and 
observers to the Mongolian elections in June, told us that it 
is open to linkages with BDF.  For example, Umar Hadi said 
BDF might be interested in APDP sponsoring a BDF training 
workshop for election monitors.  The BDF will present more 
specific requests for support in the next few months. 
 
A GOOD START 
 
¶12.  (SBU) All in all, the BDF seems off to a solid start. 
Indonesia appears to have its ducks in a row, realizing that 
it will take time for the BDF to gain traction.  However, by 
hosting and co-chairing this event, Indonesia was able to set 
in motion a strong democratic agenda without being mired in 
concensus.  In the meantime, BDF supports Indonesian national 
interests at several levels, including by: 
 
-- Raising Indonesia's international and regional profile; 
and, 
-- Leveraging democracy in the region, thus potentially 
reducing the threat that neighboring authoritarian regimes 
might pose to Indonesia's own democratic stability. 
 
At the same time, the BDF helps President Yudhoyono with his 
credentials as an international statesman in the run-up to 
the 2009 presidential elections.  USG support for BDF gives 
us another path to promote regional democracy.  As 
importantly it demonstrates our support for Indonesian 
democratic leadership. 
HUME