VZCZCXRO5490
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0814/01 1140905
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 230905Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8796
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J07/CATMED/CAT//
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 8403
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2385
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1102
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7754
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000814
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG AND OES
USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/MLEAVITT/WSTEIGER AND HHS/NIH
GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR AMGT PGOV ID
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT YUDHOYONO DISCUSSES HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT
CONCERNS WITH HHS SECRETARY LEAVITT
1.(SBU) Summary. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono thanked U.S.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt for the
SIPDIS
United States' assistance in fighting highly pathogenic avian
influenza in an April 14 meeting, and stated that he wants to
resolve the virus sharing issue quickly, through intensifying
bilateral talks. Secretary Leavitt emphasized the importance of not
letting differences in avian influenza policy hinder cooperation in
other health areas, while noting the potential for additional
cooperation for science and technology exchange. Coordinating
Minister of People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie pledged that Indonesia
will try to resolve the sample sharing issues within two months. In
addition to health concerns, Yudhoyono discussed his concerns with
rising food prices, energy conversion, and environmental challenges,
which he linked to quality of life issues for Indonesians. A list of
meeting participants is contained in paragraph 6. End Summary.
Resolving Sample Sharing and Building Partnership
--------------------------------------------- ----
2. (SBU) U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Leavitt,
accompanied by four members of his delegation and Ambassador Hume,
met April 14 with President Yudhoyono to discuss highly pathogenic
avian influenza, other infectious diseases and increased scientific
collaboration between both countries. The Indonesian Ministers of
Health, Foreign Affairs and People's Welfare also attended the
meeting. President Yudhoyono warmly welcomed the Secretary, and
expressed appreciation for the over $40 million in assistance the
U.S. Government (USG) has invested in the fight against the H5N1
strain of avian influenza. Yudhoyono recognized President Bush's
leadership in improving the U.S. and Indonesian relationship, and
noted he's looking forward to their next meeting on the margins of
the G8 Leaders' Summit in July. Yudhoyono also expressed
appreciation for Ambassador Hume's personal interest in influenza
and acknowledged Hume's recent visit to Tangerang.
3. (SBU) Yudhoyono stated he wants to resolve the issues around the
sharing of avian influenza viruses quickly. He said Indonesia wants
to work in partnership and cooperation with other countries but
needs to see a concrete plan on how its people will benefit from
sample sharing. The President attempted to assure Secretary Leavitt
that Indonesia intends to share samples, but said the Government of
Indonesia (GOI) wants to address the issue of equitable access to
drugs and vaccines. Yudhoyono commented that Indonesia and the
United States should go "beyond the process under the World Health
Organization (WHO)" to resolve the remaining issues in intensive,
bilateral talks. Yudhoyono also noted that Indonesia is trying to
improve the clinical management in hospitals of patients infected
with the H5N1 virus, but needs more resources and international
partnership. Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Bakrie
stated that, with sufficient effort, Indonesia likely could resolve
the sample sharing impasse within two months.
4. (SBU) Secretary Leavitt described earlier, positive meetings
during the day with the Indonesian Ministers of Foreign Affairs,
Agriculture, Health and People's Welfare, and noted a mutual
commitment not to let disagreements over influenza policy hinder
important bilateral cooperation in other areas, such as
tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria. Leavitt emphasized his concerns
about the Indonesian position on sample sharing; he noted that
viruses do not recognize borders and should not be viewed as
property. He described the USG's investment of $1.2 billion in
influenza vaccine development, and said this investment will lead to
increased access to affordable vaccines for other countries through
new cell-culture technologies. He reiterated the United States is
committed to ensuring the availability of vaccines against a
pandemic strain of influenza, and expressed concern about changing
the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network. Although the
Secretary said he is supportive of equitable access to vaccines and
SIPDIS
medicines as a global objective, he underlined that he believes it
should not be directly linked to the sharing of virus samples.
NAMRU-2 as a Shared Asset
---------------------------
5. (SBU) Secretary Leavitt described the Naval Medical Research Unit
JAKARTA 00000814 002 OF 002
(NAMRU-2) as a valuable asset to the global health agenda of the
United States, and as a valuable asset for Indonesia as well. The
Secretary commented that he now better understood Indonesian
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sensitivity regarding the status of NAMRU-2 as a U.S. military
facility that is working within the Ministry of Health. He
suggested that NAMRU-2 arrange for Indonesian senior leadership to
visit other Department of Defense overseas laboratories to better
understand NAMRU's role in their host countries. President
Yudhoyono noted his support for the laboratory, and expressed his
opinion that the remaining issues within NAMRU-2's ongoing
Memorandum of Understanding negotiations could be resolved.
Food Prices, Biofuels and Environment
--------------------------------------
6. (SBU) Yudhoyono described growing concerns with rising food
prices in Indonesia and the linkage with land usage, biofuels and
environmental concerns. Yudhoyono sees a need for global
cooperation on food production and has written to the
Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) to suggest that the UN
SIPDIS
host a conference on climate change, energy costs and the global
food supply. Yudhoyono described the importance of balancing
development objectives with protecting the environment and explained
that Indonesia is working on plans to better use land already in
production. Yudhoyono also commented on decentralization's role in
changing Indonesia and improving access to services, through
shifting power to local governments.
Meeting Participants
---------------------
7. (U) Indonesia: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Coordinating
Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, Minister of Health
Siti Fadilah Supari, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda,
Presidential Advisor Dino Patti Jalal.
8. (U) United States: HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt; Ambassador
Cameron Hume; HHS Assistant Secretary for Budget, Technology and
Finance Charles Johnson; Special Assistant to the HHS Secretary for
International Affairs William Steiger; HHS Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Public Affairs Holly Babin; Director of the Office of
SIPDIS
Asia and the Pacific within the HHS Office of Global Health Affairs
Christopher Hickey; and HHS Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention Country Director Frank Mahoney.
9. (U) Secretary Leavitt's party cleared this cable.
HUME