US embassy cable - 03STATE217991

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 217991 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2013 
TAGS: EAID, PGOV, PHUM, PREF, PREL, SOCI, ID 
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY KELLY'S MEETING WITH 
COORDINATING MINISTER JUSUF KALLA 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: EAP A/S JAMES A. KELLY.  REASON: 1.5(B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY.  A/S KELLY MET JULY 21 WITH COORDINATING 
MINISTER JUSUF KALLA, WHO SAID HE LOOKED FORWARD TO VYING FOR 
GOLKAR'S PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION IN THE 2004 ELECTIONS. 
KALLA SPOKE OF THE GOI'S NEED TO COMBAT POVERTY AND IMPROVE 
PRIMARY EDUCATION TO REDUCE THE APPEAL OF RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM 
FANNED BY "OUTSIDER" CLERICS.  KALLA SAID THE GOI WAS MAKING 
PROGRESS IN ITS NATIONAL ANTI-AIDS CAMPAIGN DESPITE LOCAL 
OPPOSITION AGAINST CONDOM USE.  A/S KELLY SAID HE WAS 
ENCOURAGED BY INDONESIA'S CONTINUOUS SUCCESS AT BREAKING UP 
TERRORIST NETWORKS AND HE URGED KALLA TO PRESS FOR CONTINUED 
TNI COOPERATION ON THE TIMIKA/TEMBAGAPURA KILLING.  A/S KELLY 
ALSO EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF FIGHTING AIDS AND THE 
SCOURGE OF TRAFFICKING-IN-PERSONS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) A/S KELLY MET GOI COORDINATING MINISTER FOR PEOPLE'S 
WELFARE, JUSUF KALLA, IN A JULY 21 COURTESY CALL DURING 
KALLA'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON.  KELLY NOTED KALLA'S PROPITIOUS 
TIMING, GIVEN RECENT MEDIA REPORTS OF KALLA'S INTENTION OF 
VYING FOR THE GOLKAR PARTY'S PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION IN 2004. 
 KALLA SAID HE WAS JUST ONE OF MANY CANDIDATES, BUT LOOKED 
FORWARD TO BEING SELECTED AS ONE OF FIVE SHORT-LISTED 
CANDIDATES THIS FALL, AND HOPEFULLY BECOMING THE MAIN 
CANDIDATE CHOSEN AT THE PARTY'S FEBRUARY 2004 CONVENTION. 
KALLA ADDED THAT, BARRING ANY MAJOR PRE-ELECTION COALITION 
BUILDING, THE ELECTION WAS LIKELY TO GO TO A SECOND ROUND 
RUNOFF. 

3. (C) A/S KELLY SAID HE WAS ENCOURAGED BY INDONESIA'S 
CONTINUED SUCCESS AT BREAKING UP TERRORIST NETWORKS, NOTING 
THAT DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS HAVE SURVIVED TESTING TIMES AND 
WILL DO SO AGAIN DURING THE ELECTION PERIOD.  KALLA RESPONDED 
THAT INDONESIA'S REPUTATION FOR MODERATE RELIGIOUS VIEWPOINTS 
WAS BEING UNDERMINED BY "OUTSIDER" CLERICS WHO FOUND WILLING 
AUDIENCES DUE TO PERSISTENT POVERTY AND POOR EDUCATIONAL 
PROSPECTS.  KALLA SAID THE 2002 PEACE ACCORDS HE HAD MEDIATED 
BETWEEN RELIGOUS GROUPS IN SULAWESI AND MALUKU WERE HOLDING 
UP WELL DESPITE OCCASIONAL CRIMINAL VIOLENCE. 
 
4. (C) A/S KELLY CONGRATULATED KALLA ON HIS MEDIATION EFFORTS 
IN THESE CENTRAL PROVINCES, SAYING HE HOPED SIMILAR SUCCESSES 
WOULD FOLLOW AT THE GEOGRAPHICAL EXTREMES OF INDONESIA, PAPUA 
AND ACEH.  A/S KELLY URGED KALLA TO ENCOURAGE CONTINUED 
COOPERATION BY THE INDONESIAN ARMED FORCES (TNI) WITH THE FBI 
INVESTIGATION INTO THE KILLINGS OF TWO AMERICANS IN 
TIMIKA/TEMBAGAPURA, PAPUA PROVINCE, WHICH REMAINS OF GREAT 
CONCERN TO THE USG.  A/S KELLY, NOTING KALLA'S COVERAGE OF 
REFUGEE ISSUES IN HIS PORTFOLIO, ADDED THAT HE HOPED THE GOI 
WOULD ENSURE THE WELFARE OF CIVILIANS IN ACEH CAUGHT UP IN 
THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN TO ROOT OUT SEPARATISTS FROM THE FREE 
ACEH MOVEMENT (GAM). 
 
5. (C) KALLA REPLIED THAT THE REFUGEE FLOWS IN ACEH WERE A 
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT PURPOSEFULLY SOUGHT BY THE GOI TO REDUCE 
THE CIVILIAN PRESENCE IN AREAS TARGETED BY THE TNI.  "IT IS 
BETTER TO HAVE REFUGEES THAN NOT," HE ADDED.  KALLA SAID THE 
MINISTRIES HE COVERS PREPARED FOR OVER 100,000 REFUGEES, 
PROVIDING HUNDREDS OF DOCTORS, AMBULANCES AND WATER 
FACILITIES TO COPE WITH THE CONFLICT.  HE SAID THEY WERE NOT 
PREPARED, HOWEVER, FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF OVER "15 PERCENT" 
OF ACEH'S SCHOOLS, WHICH HE BLAMED ON THE SEPARATISTS.  KALLA 
SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE QUALITY 
OF LIFE OF ACEHNESE, AS THE GAM MOVEMENT WOULD ONLY GAIN 
STRENGTH FROM ANY DISAFFECTION TOWARDS THE CENTRAL 
GOVERNMENT. 
 
6. (C) KALLA SPOKE OF THE GOI'S CONTINUING EFFORTS TO COMBAT 
HIV/AIDS, AND SAID THE NATIONAL STRATEGY WAS PROCEEDING 
DESPITE SOME LOCAL OPPOSITION TO CONDOM USAGE OR PROMOTION. 
A/S KELLY AGREED THAT EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE DISEASE MUST TAKE 
ACCOUNT OF THE CULTURAL CONTEXT.  HE ALSO EMPHASIZED THE NEED 
TO ELIMINATE THE SCOURGE OF TRAFFICKING-IN-PERSONS, URGING 
KALLA TO PRESS FOR LEGISLATION AS WELL AS INTERNAL MEASURES 
TO IMPROVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTE TRAFFICKERS, EVEN 
WHEN THEY ARE OFFICIALS OR PROTECTED. 
 
7. (C) COMMENT: KALLA'S MOOD WAS RELAXED AND CONFIDENT.  HE 
TOOK PAINS TO WELCOME USG ENGAGEMENT WITH INDONESIA, CITING 
AS AN EXAMPLE THE SUCCESS OF A COOPERATIVE PROGRAM WITH 
EMBASSIES TO PROVIDE MILK TO SCHOOLCHILDREN - "THEY LIKE 
RECEIVING THE CARTONS WITH THE AMERICAN FLAGS."  KALLA 
LIGHTHEARTEDLY CONCURRED THAT TODAY'S WALL STREET JOURNAL 
ARTICLE ON INUL DARATISTA, AND THE POPULARITY OF HER RISQUE 
DANCING, WAS "AN EXPRESSION BY THE PROVINCES" OF FREEDOM AND 
BROAD-MINDEDNESS.  "YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE TASTES OF THE 
MASSES," HE SAID.  "IF YOU TRY TO SUPPRESS SOMEONE, IT WILL 
ONLY MAKE THEM MORE POPULAR." 
 
POWELL