VZCZCXRO4292
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2393/01 2421021
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301021Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6005
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0714
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4252
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4151
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1079
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1698
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002393
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/RSP, EAP/MLS and EAP/MTS
DEPT PASS USTR FOR KATZ AND BROOKS
DEPT FOR EB/IFD/OMA
DEPT ALSO FOR OES/IET AND OES/ETC/TED
TREASURY FOR IA-SETH SEARLS
COMMERCE FOR 4430/[GOLIKE]
E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: PREL ECON PGOV KPAO ID
SUBJECT: YOGYAKARTA EVENT HIGHLIGHTS U.S.-ASEAN TIES
1. (U) Summary: The GOI's Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) and
Gadjah Mada University hosted an August 29 seminar in Yogyakarta
celebrating 30 years of U.S.-ASEAN ties. Pol/C and Econ/C outlined
strong U.S. support for the continued development of close political
and economic ties between ASEAN and the U.S. The seminar included a
lively q session with active participation from the student
audience. End Summary.
2. (U) SPOTLIGHT ON COOPERATION: On August 29, the Indonesian
Department of Foreign Affairs and Gadjah Mada University (UGM), one
of the Indonesia's leading schools, hosted a seminar entitled
"ASEAN-U.S. Enhanced Partnership: The Way Forward." International
relations students from UGM and surrounding universities attended
the seminar, which was timed to commemorate 30 years of U.S.-ASEAN
dialogue. The audience included scholars and students from other
ASEAN nations, as well as from China, Japan and South Korea.
3. (U) DEPLU Director General for ASEAN affairs Dian Triansyah
Djani, UGM Dean for Faculty of Social Studies and Politics Dr.
Mohtar Mas'oed, and the Regional Secretary of the Office of the
Governor of Yogyakarta, Tri Harjun Ismadi, opened the seminar.
(Note: The Sultan of Yogyakarta, who also serves as governor, was
supposed to participate, but was unable to make the event.) All
three emphasized the importance of ASEAN engagement with the United
States and the need to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the
area of scholarships and student exchanges.
4. (U) U.S. COMMITMENT: Pol/C and Econ/C, speaking during separate
panel sessions, described the development of substantial political
and economic ties between ASEAN and the U.S. over the past 30 years.
Pol/C underlined that the United States views ASEAN as a key to
peace and stability in the region. He noted the agreement for
further cooperation cemented in the Joint Vision Statement on the
ASEAN-U.S. Enhanced Partnership signed in November 2005. Pol/C also
underscored that support for cooperation with ASEAN is also
manifested in the U.S. Congress where Senator Lugar introduced
Senate Resolution 110 earlier this year, marking the 30th
anniversary of the Dialogue Relationship.
5. (U) Econ/C, during the session on economic and development
cooperation, observed that ASEAN, with a combined population
surpassed only by China and India, possessed a growing middle class
and a skilled workforce. The region served as an important trade
partner for the U.S. He pointed out that the U.S. shares ASEAN's
goals of creating an integrated economic community, and maintaining
a stable and prosperous economic environment in Southeast Asia. He
also underlined support for the ASEAN-U.S. TIFA and the USAID
ADVANCE program.
6. (U) OTHER REMARKS: Bagas Hapsoro, DEPLU's Director for ASEAN
Dialogue Partners and Inter-Regional Affairs, highlighted five areas
of U.S.-ASEAN interest:
-- (1) the fight against terrorism;
-- (2) the promotion of democracy and the empowerment of people;
-- (3) response to natural disasters;
-- (4) energy and environmental conservation; and,
-- (5) education and other people-to-people exchanges.
He encouraged the U.S. to continue to strengthen cooperation with
ASEAN in these areas, particularly in the field of educational
exchanges.
6. (U) Bala Kumar Palaniappan, an external relations official from
the ASEAN Secretariat, also spoke at the event. Palaniappan, a
Malaysian, noted the strengthening of U.S.-ASEAN cooperation in
recent years, as well as the need to further expand ties.
7. (U) Q: The seminar included lively questions from the
audience. The students directed most of their questions at the U.S.
participants. Question topics ranged from requests for more
scholarships, to the importance of a continued U.S. presence in the
region, to criticism of U.S. foreign policy, including in relation
to Iraq. Students also asked whether the U.S. felt threatened by
China and why the U.S. has not signed the Kyoto Protocol on
JAKARTA 00002393 002 OF 002
greenhouse gases.
HUME