VZCZCXRO3277
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #1521/01 2541047
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111047Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3299
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLL
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3075
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5977
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 3653
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 5406
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001521 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM AMBASSADOR HUME TO SECRETARY SEBELIUS 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR EAID KGHG SENV PGOV ID
SUBJECT: Locking in Progress for Broader Health Cooperation in 
Indonesia 
¶1. (SBU) Your September 15 meeting with Health Minister Siti 
Fadillah Supari presents a critical opportunity to reset the stage 
for health and biomedical research cooperation with Indonesia.  The 
 
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Presidency received a resounding majority 
mandate in his July re-election, giving him more control of his next 
cabinet due for installation on October 20.  Supari's recent 
incremental steps toward removing blockages to substantive health 
cooperation may be motivated by the uncertainty of her standing for 
the next cabinet.  During your meeting, you will be asked to sign a 
joint statement outlining areas of US and Indonesian cooperation on 
health including the establishment of the Indonesia-U.S. Center for 
Biomedical and Public Health Research (IUC) to replace the US Naval 
Medical Research Laboratory No.2 (NAMRU-2).  I believe you can 
obtain firm Government of Indonesia commitment to health cooperation 
that will be difficult to reverse in the next cabinet. 
Progress from First IUC Steering Committee 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) Minister Supari chaired the first IUC Joint Steering 
Committee meeting on September 11, and tabled a draft IUC MOU text 
(e-mailed to HHS staff).  We made substantial progress and reached 
agreement on a number of items, including: 
A) Text of the Joint Statement to be released after your meeting 
(see para X); 
B) To continue work on the non-binding Health MOU as the indicator 
of both sides' political commitment to broad health cooperation; 
C) Public announcement of the IUC on November 1 instead of October 1 
for purely political reasons surrounding the start date of President 
Yudhoyono's new government (there is no relation to MOH's commitment 
to launch the IUC on schedule); 
D) To the immediate establishment of a Joint Task Force that 
provides interim governance of the operations of the IUC. 
E) The agenda for the first Task Force meeting: to determine the 
specific activities to resume under the interim IUC banner, work on 
the draft IUC MOU text that Supari tabled, and decide the specifics 
for the November 1 announcement. 
Steps to Build Momentum and Lock in Progress 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Several outcomes of your meeting with Supari will go far in 
maintaining momentum on laying the foundations for broader health 
cooperation.  First, you can confirm Supari's agreement to a "soft 
launch" of the IUC within the next few weeks and to the placement of 
new personnel to join the current NAMRU-2 staff to lead the 
transition.  Your assurance to Supari that the USG remains committed 
to work toward a non-binding MOU (such as the one signed between the 
United States and Russia in July) as a marker of our two countries' 
political commitment to health cooperation will help maintain focus 
on the larger goal.  We provided USG comments to the Indonesian 
draft MOU on September 10. 
¶5. (SBU) In addition, anticipating successful conclusions of our 
current negotiations on the IUC and broader cooperation in health, I 
am requesting that you support the placement of a health attache in 
Indonesia.  This position is needed to oversee the eventual IUC 
joint operation, as well as to advance cooperation on broader public 
health issues.  Currently, the U.S. Government invests $50-75 
million per year through several different agencies and programs in 
Indonesia - there are seven sections or agencies at the Embassy 
working on health-related issues.  I anticipate that this investment 
will increase in the next decade with the rising incidence of HIV, 
TB and other disease of global health importance.  A health attache 
is needed to strengthen the overall relationship. 
¶6. (SBU) We have a unique opportunity at this moment of government 
transition in Indonesia to make significant progress on health 
issues.  The Ministry of Health is more receptive to a long-term HHS 
presence in Indonesian than ever before.  Locking in Indonesian 
agreement now for a long-term HHS presence, in my view, will 
solidify and anchor cooperation on public health cooperation through 
the current difficult time and for many years to come. 
Text of Joint Statement 
----------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Joint Steering Committee agreed to the following text 
for forwarding to Washington for final approval. 
Begin text of Joint Statement. 
Joint Statement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Indonesian 
Minister of Health Dr. Siti Fadilah Supari on Health Partnership 
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius met 
with the Honorable Siti Fadilah Supari, Ph.D., Minister of Health, 
Republic of Indonesia and her delegation today at the Department of 
Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. 
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its 
 
JAKARTA 00001521  002 OF 002 
 
¶1. (SBU) Your September 15 meeting with Health Minister Siti 
Fadillah Supari presents a critical opportunity to reset the stage 
for health and biomedical research cooperation with Indonesia.  The 
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Presidency received a resounding majority 
mandate in his July re-election, giving him more control of his next 
cabinet due for installation on October 20.  Supari's recent 
incremental steps toward removing blockages to substantive health 
cooperation may be motivated by the uncertainty of her standing for 
the next cabinet.  During your meeting, you will be asked to sign a 
joint statement outlining areas of US and Indonesian cooperation on 
health including the establishment of the Indonesia-U.S. Center for 
Biomedical and Public Health Research (IUC) to replace the US Naval 
Medical Research Laboratory No.2 (NAMRU-2).  I believe you can 
obtain firm Government of Indonesia commitment to health cooperation 
that will be difficult to reverse in the next cabinet. 
Progress from First IUC Steering Committee 
------------------------------------------ 
 
counterparts in the Government of Indonesia plan to intensify health 
cooperation within the context of a comprehensive partnership 
between the United States and Indonesia.  This renewed partnership 
may include fostering new scientific exchange and research 
activities.  Our collaboration may focus on basic clinical and 
public health research and training programs.  Both governments hope 
to improve and expand existing bilateral and regional biomedical and 
public health research assets under joint civilian scientific 
leadership. 
The meeting is a first step toward ministry-to-ministry 
collaboration as a critical tool for promoting scientific exchange, 
technology transfer, human resource development, intensified 
research and public health programs on diseases of global public 
health importance such as tuberculosis, malaria and influenza. In an 
important step toward achieving this goal, the two Governments 
agreed to establish a new Indonesia - United States Center for 
Biomedical and Public Health Research under joint civilian 
scientific leadership.  Both Governments look forward to furthering 
their long and fruitful partnership by engaging in new and existing 
endeavors based on mutual respect and transparency.  To further our 
partnership, both governments agree to hold an annual Senior 
Officials Meeting and pledge to hold ministerial consultations on a 
regular basis. 
End text of Joint Statement. 
OSIUS