VZCZCXRO3220
PP RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1221/01 2030821
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220821Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2868
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001221 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MASS
SUBJECT: ARF -- INDONESIA INTERESTED IN DISASTER RELIEF 
EXERCISES 
 
REF: EAP/RSP-JAKARTA 07-17-09 EMAILS AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Indonesia is keen to host the second 
ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Voluntary Demonstration of 
Response in Disaster Relief (VDR) in 2010 or 2011.  However, 
the GOI is seeking support and assistance from the United 
States and other ARF participants in order to do so. 
Indonesia supports the ARF Voluntary Model Arrangement but 
hopes that the United States and Thailand will serve as 
co-sponsors of the measure.  END SUMMARY. 
 
DISASTER RELIEF EXERCISE--HELP WANTED 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Indonesia wants to host the second ARF-VDR in 2010 
or 2011, according to Ibnu Hadi, Director for Intra-regional 
Cooperation for Asia-Pacific and Africa at the Department of 
Foreign Affairs (DEPLU).  Hadi told poloff that FM Wirajuda 
had reviewed the matter and endorsed Indonesia's possible 
hosting the ARF-VDR.  However, FM Wirajuda instructed DEPLU 
officials to seek support from ARF participants in order to 
facilitate the exercise.  Hadi provided a nonpaper outlining 
GOI views on the matter more fully.  (See paragraph 6 for the 
text of the nonpaper). 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Poloff asked if Indonesia could specify the exact 
type of assistance it would need in order to host the 
exercise.  Hadi responded that Indonesia had not identified 
specific needs.  Instead, it hoped to look at offers of 
financial, logistical and technical support from 
participating countries in order to determine if it could 
host the exercise.  Indonesia also approached Japan, 
Australia, South Korea and other ARF participants this 
request.  Poloff promised to relay the request to Washington. 
 
ARF MODEL ARRANGEMENT 
 
¶5.   (SBU) Poloff noted that the United States was still 
receiving comments on the draft Voluntary Model Arrangement 
on the use of Foreign Military Assets in Humanitarian 
Assistance and Disaster Response.  He provided Hadi with a 
copy of the July 7 USG concept paper on the matter and a copy 
of A/S Campbell's letter.  Hadi said that Indonesia supported 
the U.S. approach.  However, Indonesia wished to remain in 
the "background" on this issue.  The GOI believed that as 
co-chairs of the intercessional meeting, the U.S. and 
Thailand should be the formal sponsors of the initiative. 
This, Hadi noted was consistent with the ministerial 
instruction on the matter. 
 
¶6.  (U) Begin text of Non-paper: 
 
EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY FOR INDONESIA TO HOST THE 2ND ARF 
VOLUNTARY DEMONSTRATION OF RESPONSE IN DISASTER RELIEF 
 
¶1.    ASEAN Regional Forum Voluntary Demonstration of 
Response in Disaster Relief was held successfully in the 
Philippines, 4-8 May 2009.  It was the first ever field 
exercise organized in the framework of the ARF and 
participated by 26 ARF participating countries, indicating 
the significance of this exercise. 
 
¶2.    The ARF-VDR was a major step for ARF in developing 
concrete and tangible contributions to a transnational 
security issue like disaster relief.  The field exercise was 
a first step and provided a number of valuable benefits for 
future major, multinational relief operations, future 
exercises, and security cooperation. 
 
¶3.    Indonesia attached great interest in the exercise and 
contributed significantly to the exercise in the area of 
medical supplies and repair of damaged structures by sending 
50 personnel, from both civilian and military. 
 
¶4.    Indonesia's participation at the 1st ARF-VDR was 
appreciated and warmly welcomed by other ARF participants. 
Several countries such as the US and Japan have approached 
Indonesia to probe the possibility of cooperation/partnership 
in organizing such a follow up in Indonesia. 
 
¶5.    Indonesia is considering the possibility to host the 
2nd ARF-VDR in 2010 or in 2011.  Therefore, Indonesia is 
looking for support from its potential partners, including 
 
JAKARTA 00001221  002 OF 002 
 
 
the US, Japan, Australia, and other ARF participating 
countries. 
 
¶6.    Indication of support level by potential Co-chairs or 
certain ARF participating countries is an important 
consideration for Indonesia in formulating its position and 
readiness for organizing the plan. 
 
¶7.    Provided Indonesia gains support from key ARF 
countries, one possibility is to organize the Exercise 
back-to-back with the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency 
Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX) in October 2010 in 
Indonesia. 
 
¶8.    Although a decision on this plan is ideally achieved 
and announced at the 16th ARF, the potential Co-Chairs may 
decide and announce their decision at a later stage 
preferably before the end of the 2009 allowing for 
preparation by all ARF participants to decide their 
participation in the exercise. 
¶9.    Upon positive decision, planning sessions should be 
immediately held first among the co-Chairs and all ARF 
participating countries. 
 
End text. 
HUME