VZCZCXRO4203
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1866 3141047
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 101047Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3780
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001866 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, H 
NSC FOR D. WALTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KDEM ID
SUBJECT: ENGAGING INDONESIA'S NEW LEGISLATORS 
 
REF: JAKARTA 01837 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  The Indonesian Parliament Deputy Speaker 
and five prominent legislators discussed with the DCM how 
best to further strengthen U.S.-Indonesia relations, focusing 
on defense, trade, and climate change.  The legislators 
thanked the USG for its good governance programs and for the 
efforts of the U.S. Congress' House Democracy Partnership to 
reach out to Indonesia.  END SUMMARY. 
 
MEETING NEW LAWMAKERS 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On November 4, the DCM met with the new Deputy 
Speaker of Indonesia's Parliament (DPR) and five other 
legislators from the commissions on foreign policy and 
defense, trade and investment, and health.  Priyo Budi 
Santoso is considered the most influential of the four DPR 
deputy speakers.  Santoso emphasized that Parliament was 
committed to further strengthening U.S.-Indonesia 
collaboration.  (Note:  Indonesia's new Parliament was sworn 
in on October 1.  Over half of it members are new and Mission 
has been working hard to engage the body--see reftels.) 
 
PARTNERS IN DEMOCRACY BUILDING 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Mohammad Najib, Deputy Chair of the DPR 
Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and member of DPR 
Commission One, expressed his appreciation for U.S. support 
of Indonesia's democratic development.  (Note: Mission 
engages closely with Commission One on foreign policy, 
defense and information issues.)  He said that U.S. NGOs, 
such as the International Republican Institute and the 
National Democratic Institute, were instrumental in training 
Indonesia's young politicians.  He explained that he had 
participated in such training which prepared him well for his 
current position. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Najib and the DCM also discussed Indonesia's 
democratic initiatives in the region.  Najib was pleased to 
learn that the U.S. was sending a senior-level representative 
to the Bali Democracy Forum in December.  DCM noted that 
Indonesia's peaceful elections this year were a significant 
milestone for its young democracy, and an example for other 
countries in the region and internationally. 
 
REQUEST FOR EVEN STRONGER COOPERATION 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The legislators focused their remarks on security, 
trade, and climate change topics.  They urged the USG to 
consider more training and exchange programs for the 
Indonesian armed forces.  Legislators from Commission Six 
(trade, industry, investment) asked that the U.S. expand 
investment beyond oil and gas to the manufacturing and high 
technology fields.  They stressed that U.S.-Indonesian 
bilateral trade could be increased significantly beyond its 
current level of $21 billion and that an important first step 
would be to make it easier for Indonesian businesspeople to 
get U.S. visas.  Legislators would also like to see a 
concrete assistance program to promote Indonesia's small and 
medium entrepreneurs.  The DCM agreed that we should build a 
relationship which responded to real opportunities in trade 
and investment. 
 
MOVING FORWARD 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The legislators indicated that a key element of 
U.S. engagement with Parliament was through the exchanges and 
training provided by the U.S. Congress' House Democracy 
Partnership.  They welcomed further opportunities to engage 
directly with members of Congress on technical and policy 
issues.  The DCM underscored that we welcomed further 
engagement with Parliament, and would work to find 
opportunities to discuss and consult on key issues. 
HUME