VZCZCXRO9435
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1399/01 2360839
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 240839Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3145
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001399 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, H 
NSC FOR J. BADER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM ECON ID
SUBJECT: LEGISLATORS ASK FOR U.S. -INDONESIA COOPERATION AT 
LOCAL LEVELS 
 
REF: A. JAKARTA 172 
     ¶B. JAKARTA 2195 
     ¶C. JAKARTA 1372 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.    (U) SUMMARY:  Indonesian legislators told us at a 
DCM-hosted lunch that the key to strengthening U.S.-Indonesia 
relations was cooperating on issues confronting their 
constituents at the local level.  A multi-partisan group of 
women legislators met with us on August 11 to discuss 
bilateral relations and the forthcoming Comprehensive 
Partnership.  Among the key issues of concern were regional 
economic empowerment, improvements in education, and good 
governance.  U.S. business practices in Indonesia, Mission 
activities, and U.S. foreign policy all directly impact our 
bilateral relations, they said. 
 
ENGAGING THE 2009 PARLIAMENTARIANS 
 
¶2.    (U) The DCM opened his lunch in honor of Senator 
Lugar's Senior Staffer, Keith Luse, by eliciting ideas from 
the legislators on the forthcoming U.S.-Indonesia 
Comprehensive Partnership.  Eight women legislators from six 
political parties attended.  Half were newly elected during 
the April 9 parliamentary elections and half were incumbents. 
 We explained the Embassy's goal of creating stronger 
connections between the incoming parliamentarians and the 
USG, both at the Embassy and U.S. congressional levels.  The 
legislators responded positively, asking for continued 
engagement, saying: "if you invite us to Independence Day 
Events, it's nice but these substantive discussions are even 
better." 
 
U.S. BUSINESS PRACTICES IMPACT CONSTITUENTS 
 
¶3.    (SBU) Many of the legislators noted the impact that 
U.S. business practices have on their constituents and 
consequently on how the U.S. is perceived in Indonesia.  They 
asked us to urge U.S. businesses to implement standardized 
practices of local employment and benefit packages. 
Practices currently vary, they said, by region and company. 
One legislator claimed a U.S. oil company in her region does 
not employ many locals.  This company only talks with the 
bureaucratic elite, not the locals, about projects such as 
pipelines which crosscut villages.  They thus fail to get 
crucial buy-in from the villagers.  The legislator stated 
that this creates resentment among constituents and can cause 
legislative resistance to foreign investment. 
 
¶4.    (SBU) U.S. interests would be better served, another 
legislator pointed out, by following the example of a foreign 
company in her district that has a large geothermal plant. 
This company provides employment, education and social 
benefits for locals as part of its corporate social 
responsibility practices.  This gives the employees a sense 
of belonging and acceptance of the company as their own. 
Keith Luse noted that he would convey these concerns to 
Senator Lugar.  He added that Indonesian trade union leaders 
had told him that American companies were among the best 
employers in Indonesia. 
 
PERCEPTIONS THAT U.S. SUPPORTS PAPUAN INDEPENDENCE 
POTENTIALLY DAMAGING 
 
¶5.    (SBU) The parliamentarians also raised the sensitive 
issue of whether the United States government supports Papuan 
separatism.  One legislator declared: "Indonesia, like the 
U.S., is a multicultural society.  We believe this makes the 
U.S. strong, and we see the U.S. as a model for us.  I heard 
that President Obama supports Indonesian unity but Congress 
does not. Why?" 
 
¶6.    (SBU) Keith Luse explained that the U.S. supports the 
territorial integrity and unity of Indonesia.  He does not 
believe the U.S. Congress would pass legislation endorsing 
Papuan independence, and said that his boss, Senator Lugar, 
is opposed to it.  He acknowledged, however, that Congressman 
Faleomavaega had proposed language on Papua which had "caused 
doubts" for some people.  (Note:  The language in question 
had compared the situation in Papua with that of East Timor 
before the latter's independence from Indonesia.  Many 
Indonesians regarded this as a de facto endorsement of Papuan 
independence.)  Luse explained that Papua is of particular 
interest to Congressman Faleomavaega, who is from American 
Samoa.  His proposed legislation on Papua was later 
withdrawn.  The DCM pointed out that if the Indonesian 
government eases travel restrictions to Papua, this would 
 
JAKARTA 00001399  002 OF 002 
 
 
help increase transparency and trust. 
 
EDUCATION AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PRODUCTIVE ISSUES FOR 
COOPERATION 
 
¶7.    (SBU) The legislators also raised educational 
development as an area of shared concern and cooperation with 
the U.S.  The DCM suggested that education was possibly the 
most productive area for the U.S to contribute to Indonesia's 
development through exchanges and long term university 
partnerships.  One legislator asked for more teacher 
exchanges to the U.S.  Several expressed their appreciation 
for USG-funded National Democratic Institute (NDI) training, 
saying that local NDI visits and training were particularly 
helpful.  They also asked for help with English training. 
However, one noted that visa processing time impeded travel 
to the U.S. for those with certain names and requested our 
help in solving this issue. 
 
¶8.    (SBU) The legislators agreed that there was much common 
ground for cooperation on issues central to both U.S. and 
Indonesian concerns.  For example, they were also committed 
to guaranteeing equal rights to education and religious 
freedom by continuing the historically tolerant traditions of 
Indonesia's pluralistic society.  They are also hoping to 
improve governance practices and reduce corruption and money 
politics.  The legislators ended by welcoming more such 
discussions with the U.S. Mission and Congress, stating that 
"MPs can be a bridge" between the U.S. and Indonesia. 
 
¶9.    (SBU) This message has been cleared by Staffdel Luse. 
HUME