VZCZCXRO7708
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1774/01 2960006
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 230006Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3642
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001774 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP 
NSC FOR D. WALTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM ID PREL
SUBJECT: PROMISING ALLIES FOR COMPREHENSIVE PARTNERSHIP IN 
INDONESIA'S NEW CABINET 
 
REF: JAKARTA 1766 AND PREVIOUS 
 
1,  (SBU) SUMMARY:  President Yudhoyono's 37 new cabinet 
picks, unveiled October 21, show a realistic leader who 
prioritizes the economy, environment, health, and 
international relations while trying to build political 
consensus for his policies.  He assigned most cabinet 
positions as predicted (see reftel).  The new cabinet 
contains potential allies for progress on our Comprehensive 
Partnership goals -- a sharp economic team, technocrats as 
health and environment ministers, an accomplished Foreign 
Minister, and known interlocutors on defense and security. 
Mission suggests early and vigorous engagement with the new 
cabinet to cultivate the ministers as partners and advocates. 
 Please see action request in para 7. END SUMMARY. 
 
NEW CABINET INAUGURATED 
 
¶2.  (U) President Yudhoyono announced his new cabinet late 
October 21 and inaugurated them October 22.  Seventy percent 
of the cabinet is new, with only 10 ministers as hold-overs 
from the previous cabinet.  The new cabinet members are 
highly educated, with 16 holding Ph.D.s.  Ten, including the 
new health minister, were educated in the U.S. 
 
POLITICAL COMPROMISES 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The dominance of politicians in the new cabinet 
reflects President Yudhoyono's belief that despite a 
landslide electoral victory he has to build political 
consensus to push through his policies in the Parliament.  To 
that end, he placated coalition partners by handing out 
cabinet positions, including two to defeated legislative 
candidates, former Parliament (DPR) Speaker Agung Laksono 
(Golkar Party, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare) 
and Patrialis Akbar (PAN party, Minster of Justice and Human 
Rights. 
 
POTENTIAL ALLIES FOR BILATERAL COOPERATION ON THE ECONOMY, 
HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT AND SECURITY 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The new cabinet is promising in terms of U.S. - 
Indonesia cooperation on many important issues: economic 
cooperation, health, the environment, and security and 
defense.  The economic team offers considerable continuity. 
As mentioned reftel, Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Trade Minister 
Mari Pangestu will stay on, a move the business community 
welcomed.  New Industry Minister MS Hidayat comes with strong 
credentials as Chair of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce. 
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa, a close 
presidential ally, could use his political power to push 
through initiatives but does not have a strong track record 
for reform. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On health, the unexpected choice of Dr. Endang 
Rahayu Sedyaningish for Health Minister is a good sign.  Dr. 
Endang is a Harvard educated academic who works closely with 
WHO and USAID on HIV prevention and avian influenza issues. 
The new Environment Minister, Gusti M. Hatta, is also a 
respected academician.  Educated in the Netherlands, Hatta is 
a professor and deputy university rector at Lambung Mangkurat 
University's School of Forestry, where he helped establish an 
environmental research center.  He is well known for his 
integrity and talent, and will focus on climate change issues 
in the new administration. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Our key interlocutors on security and defense 
issues, including Coordinating Minister for Political, 
Security and Legal Affairs Djoko Suyanto, and former Energy 
Minister, now Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro (see 
reftel) have worked with us in the past on counter-terrorism, 
energy and other issues.  Retired Military Commander-in-Chief 
Suyanto, who has been instrumental in advancing military 
reform, has trained in the U.S. at Nellis Air Force Base. 
 
ACTION REQUEST: REACHING OUT TO NEW FOREIGN MINISTER MARTI 
NATALEGAWA TO GAIN HIM AS KEY PARTNER 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Action Request:  Post recommends that Secretary 
Clinton call new Indonesian Foreign Minister Marti Muliana 
Natalegawa, who was Indonesia's permanent representative to 
the United Nations (see reftel), to congratulate him on his 
new position as soon as possible.  Post also recommends that 
the Secretary send a formal letter of congratulations 
requesting a meeting on the margins of APEC in November in 
 
JAKARTA 00001774  002 OF 002 
 
 
order to cultivate FM Natalegawa as a partner and advocate. 
HUME