VZCZCXRO9218
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0540 0840953
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250953Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1952
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLL
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1024
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000540 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, OES/EGC: BARBARA DE ROSA-JOYNT 
COMMERCE FOR NOAA 
NSC FOR JBADER, EPHU, HVARMUS AND CEQ 
 
E.O. 12598: N/A 
TAGS: SENV KGHG ENRG PREL ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA WELCOMES LAUNCH OF MAJOR ECONOMIES FORUM 
ON ENERGY AND CLIMATE 
 
REF: A. STATE 027497 
     ¶B. WHITEHOUSE 03210810 
 
¶1.  This is an action request.  See paragraph 5. 
 
¶2.  Indonesian Minister of Environment Rachmat Witoelar confirmed 
that he would represent President Yudhoyono at the April 27-28 Major 
Economies Forum (MEF) meeting in Washington, D.C.  During a meeting 
with Ambassador Hume on March 25, Witoelar revealed that he had just 
discussed this with President Yudhoyono, and that the Government of 
Indonesia (GOI) welcomes the MEF and the opportunity to move 
international negotiations forward in cooperation with the United 
States. 
 
¶3.  Witoelar agreed with Ambassador Hume that the MEF is an 
opportunity for Indonesia to help forge a multilateral consensus for 
Copenhagen this December, and for individual major economies to 
cooperate on actions to reduce emissions.  Witoelar stated that 
Indonesia is pleased by the Obama Administration's reengagement with 
other countries.  It is encouraging, he said, to see President 
Obama's climate change team (including Special Envoy Todd Stern) 
reaching out to their foreign counterparts.  He welcomed U.S. 
leadership on climate change, stating that the Administration's 
statements and the MEF indicate that the United States is not only 
"on board" but actually "in the driver's seat".  According to 
Witoelar, Indonesia is eager to reanimate climate change discussions 
with the United States as well as expand bilateral cooperation.  He 
appreciated the U.S. commitment to send a strong delegation to the 
World Ocean Conference, and the possibility of NOAA Administrator 
Dr. Jane Lubchenco's participation. 
 
¶4.  Noting the important work that NOAA has been doing in -- and in 
partnership with -- Indonesia, Witoelar and his staff expressed a 
keen interest in developing a strong collaborative relationship with 
the EPA.  The Minister's staff also requested a bilateral meeting 
with the U.S. delegation at next week's Bonn meetings of the Ad Hoc 
Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the 
Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) and the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term 
Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA).  The purpose is to discuss the ongoing 
UNFCCC negotiations as well as the agenda for the April 27-28 
preparatory MEF meeting.  The GOI head of delegation will be Agus 
Purnomo, Head of the National Climate Change Council Secretariat. 
 
¶5.  On March 24, per reftel requests, Post delivered President 
Obama's invitation for President Yudhoyono to the Major Economies 
Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF).  Post also provided copies to 
Minister Witoelar's office and the National Climate Change Council. 
Action: Post requests information about our delegation in Bonn and 
whether they will meet with the GOI delegation. 
 
HUME