VZCZCXRO4058
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHJA #1169/01 1911012
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101012Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2797
INFO RULSJGI/COGARD INTELCOORDCEN WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001169 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MTS, IO/T, EEB/TRA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC EWWT IMO PREL PHSA KTIA ID
 
SUBJECT:  INDONESIA REQUESTS SUPPORT FOR IMO CANDIDACY 
 
¶1. This is an action request - Please see para 3. 
 
¶2. Embassy received on July 1 a diplomatic note from the Department 
of Foreign Affairs requesting USG support towards the candidature of 
Indonesia to the Council of the International Maritime Organization 
(IMO) Category "C". 
 
¶3. Action Request:  Mission requests the Department's guidance in 
responding to the diplomatic note, an unofficial translation of 
which is provided below. 
 
Begin text 
 
No. D00684/07/2009/46 
 
The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia 
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of 
America and has the honour to inform the latter that the Government 
of the Republic of Indonesia has decided to present its candidature 
for re-election to the Council of the International Maritime 
Organization (IMO) Category "C" for the period of 2009-2011, the 
election of which will be held during the 26th Annual Assembly of 
the IMO in London on 23 November-4 December 2009. 
As member of the IMO since 1961 and the IMO Council since 1973, 
Indonesia has played an active role and demonstrated the highest 
interest in and dedication to the promotion of the enhancement of 
international cooperation in maritime safety and security, including 
the protection of the marine environment.  Through its continued 
participation in the IMO Council, the Government of the Republic of 
Indonesia believes that it can play a more constructive role and 
make valuable contributions to the maritime development of common 
interests. 
 
In view of the above, the Government of the Republic of Indonesia 
would like to request the support of the Government of the United 
States of America towards the candidature of Indonesia to the IMO 
Council for Category "C".  Attached herewith is an Aide Memoire 
regarding Indonesia's candidature. 
 
The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia 
avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the 
United States of America the assurances of its highest 
consideration. 
 
Jakarta, 1 July 2009 
 
End text 
 
¶4. The text of the aide memoire follows below. 
 
Begin text 
 
AIDE MEMOIRE 
THE CANDIDATURE OF INDONESIA 
FOR RE-ELECTION AS A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF IMO 
CATEGORY "C", 2009-2011 
 
¶1.  The Government of the Republic of Indonesia presents its 
candidature for re-election as member of Category "C" Group on the 
Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), at 
elections to be held during the 26th Session of the Assembly of the 
IMO in London, which will take place on 23 November - 4 December 
¶2009. 
 
¶2.  Being located at the strategic shipping routes and international 
navigational systems, Indonesia attaches great importance to the 
protection of maritime passages which include the Malacca and 
Singapore Straits, the Sunda Strait, and the Lombok Strait.  As 
such, as part of its long term maritime policy objectives to assure 
a safe, secure and clean ocean, Indonesia is fully committed to the 
improvement and management of infrastructures in the area and within 
other Indonesian waters. 
 
¶3.  As IMO member since 1961, Indonesia has actively participated in 
IMO activities, including in the Council since 1973.  Indonesia has 
also played an active role and has demonstrated the highest interest 
in and dedication to the promotion of the enhancement of 
international cooperation in maritime safety and security, including 
the protection of the marine environment.  In this regard, Indonesia 
has acceded to 17 IMO Conventions, such as SOLAS 1974, CSC 1972, 
STCW 1978, INMARSAT 1976, MARPOL 73/78 (Annex I/II), COLREG 1972, 
and CLC 1992. 
 
¶4.  Indonesia has also ratified several others important legal 
instruments in relation to maritime issues, including the United 
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the BASEL Convention 1989, 
the United Nations Convention Biological Diversity, and the 
 
JAKARTA 00001169  002 OF 002 
 
 
International Convention on Maritime Liens and Mortgages 1993.  To 
enhance Indonesian seafarers' competency and capacity, Indonesia in 
2008 has ratified the ILO Convention No. 185 regarding the Revising 
of the Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention 1958. 
 
¶5. In the region, Indonesia has a long-standing commitment to the 
promotion of safety, security and protection of marine environment. 
In this regard, Indonesia together with Malaysia and Singapore as 
Littoral States, have been working closely in the Tripartite 
Technical Experts Group (TTEG) in the Straits of Malacca and 
Singapore.  In dealing with new challenges, the Littoral States with 
the IMO have launched the Cooperative Mechanism, a basis for 
cooperation between Littoral States, User States, shipping 
industries and other stakeholders in enhancing maritime safety and 
environmental protection in the Straits. 
 
¶6.  Indonesia's commitment was once again demonstrated in its 
initiative to convene the World Ocean Conference 2009 (WOC 2009) 
with the aim to conserve the marine environment of the world's only 
oceans and to respond to the threats of global climate change.  The 
Conference was able to integrate global vision and garner 
international commitment to work together to improve marine resource 
management.  The resulting Manado Ocean Declaration (MOD) will be 
promoted to be included in the forthcoming United Nations climate 
talks in Copenhagen in December 2009, in order to fleet 
ocean-sensitive policies into the climate change discussions. 
 
¶7.  Indonesia's ongoing national priorities are to enhance its 
ports' capacities to accommodate Indonesia's rapid development and 
to provide strong support for international trade.  In order to 
ensure the security of international trade within Indonesian water, 
Indonesia has implemented SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and ISPS-Code.  To 
date, 247 ports facilities have complied with the ISPS Code, as also 
742 Indonesian-flagged vessels.  In addition, under the new 
Indonesian Law on Shipping, the Government of Indonesia will 
establish the Indonesian Sea and Coastguard to enhance law 
enforcement in Indonesian waters. 
 
¶8.  In its desire to continue its work in the IMO Council and given 
its strong commitment to the realization of IMO purposes, goals and 
objectives, the Government of the Republic of Indonesia would highly 
appreciate the valuable support of the esteemed Government of the 
Member States of the IMO for the candidature of Indonesia to the IMO 
Council in Category "C" for the period of 2009-2011. 
 
End text 
 
HUME