VZCZCXRO8702
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #0056/01 0150737
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 150737Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4286
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP 0166
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000056 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, EEB, OES 
NSC FOR D. WALTON 
STATE PASS TO USTR EHLERS AND WEISEL 
COMMERCE FOR 4430 NADJMI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV TSPL TBIO EAID KGHG ECON KDEM KMCA
MCC, ID, H, EINV 
SUBJECT: DCM TACKLES TOUGH PARTNERSHIP ISSUES WITH 
INDONESIA'S LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP 
 
REF: A. JAKARTA 0044 
     ¶B. JAKARTA 01866 
     ¶C. JAKARTA 00172 
 
JAKARTA 00000056  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.    (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
¶2.    (SBU) SUMMARY:  Indonesia's new parliamentary 
commission leaders expressed concerns about our bilateral 
health cooperation and asked for more U.S. investment in a 
January 13 meeting with the DCM.  The DCM asked if the GOI is 
committed to seizing the opportunities for further progress 
on bilateral issues such as education, science and technology 
and the environment.  The legislative leaders were receptive 
to this message and willing to engage further. Engaging 
Indonesia's legislators is essential in moving forward our 
partnership. Informed legislators are less likely to push 
legislation which could be counterproductive to shared goals. 
 END SUMMARY. 
 
DCM MEETS PARLIAMENTARY LEADERS 
 
¶3.    (SBU)  DCM engaged in substantive discussions on 
January 13 with eight newly elected legislative leaders on a 
number of topics, most importantly health and trade and 
investment.  The parliamentarians chaired or served as 
deputies on commissions dealing with foreign affairs, health, 
agriculture, trade, religion/women's empowerment, and 
finance.  (Note: The Indonesian parliament has eleven 
commissions which are somewhat analogous to the U.S. House 
committees and subcommittees.) This was the first time that 
most of them had attended a USG-hosted event. 
 
MOVING FORWARD ON HEALTH COOPERATION 
 
¶4.    (SBU) DCM asked for Parliament's support to resolve the 
political challenges which are impeding bilateral cooperation 
on health issues. Noting that there had been no recent 
movement on creating the joint Indonesia-U.S. Center for 
Public Health and Biomedical Research Cooperation (IUC), he 
questioned whether the new Health Minister had not taken 
action because she faced pressure from the parliamentary 
health commission. 
 
¶5.    (SBU) In response, deputy chair of the health 
commission stated that a new civilian arrangement in which 
Indonesia and U.S. researchers transparently worked together 
would be welcome.  The main sticking point, she thought, was 
the request for diplomatic status for the researchers. 
Another legislator expressed concern that employing Navy 
researchers in the IUC would tip public opinion against it. 
DCM assured the legislative leaders that, in an IUC as 
envisioned by negotiators as recently as September, 2009, 
U.S. Navy researchers would be under civilian authority and 
seek official status as administrative and technical staff. 
 
INCREASING TRADE AND INVESTMENT TIES 
 
¶6.    (SBU) The legislative leaders pressed for increased 
U.S. investment in Indonesia, especially in industries 
outside of mineral exploration and by small and medium U.S. 
businesses.  The parliamentary leaders also asked for 
investment that would help build manufacturing and 
agricultural derivatives industries.  EconCons suggested that 
through formalizing an OPIC agreement and opening discussions 
for a bilateral investment treaty, American investors would 
become more confident investing in Indonesia. The legislators 
expressed an interest in these initiatives.  They also 
received positively the Mission's determination that a 
science and technology agreement be concluded in the near 
term with Indonesia. 
 
LOOKING AHEAD 
 
¶7.     (SBU) This substantive meeting with a broad range of 
Indonesian parliamentary leaders was a step toward engaging 
Parliament as a partner in expanding the comprehensive 
partnership.  The legislators are particularly important 
partners in resolving the toughest bilateral issues because 
 
JAKARTA 00000056  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
executive branch officials often will hesitate to move 
forward on issues which face entrenched parliamentary 
resistance.  Mission's interagency Legislative Working Group 
will continue to support Mission's close engagement with 
Parliament as we pursue our Comprehensive Partnership goals. 
HUME