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Viewing cable 08JAKARTA1676, AVIAN INFLUENZA LAWSUIT AGAINST USG: REQUEST FOR

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08JAKARTA1676 2008-09-05 08:01 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Jakarta
VZCZCXRO6061
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #1676/01 2490801
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 050801Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9979
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 7820
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2988
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1251
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1220
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2183
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2450
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 3025
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 2934
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 1098
RHMFIUU/BUMED WASHINGTON DC
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAWJB/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RULSAAV/NAVMEDRSCHCEN SILVER SPRING MD
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001676 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR P, EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, G/AIAG, 
OES/IHA, L, L/DL FOR DICKERSON 
USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL 
DEPT PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/ABHAT/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH 
DEPT PASS TO USDA/FAS/OSTA BRANT, ROSENBLUM 
DOJ FOR OFL/HOLLIS 
DOJ FOR OFL/HERRUP 
GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN 
NSC FOR E.PHU 
SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/APSA D.WALTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV TBIO KFLU KLIG ID
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA LAWSUIT AGAINST USG:  REQUEST FOR 
LETTER TO COURT EXPLAINING SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY 
 
REF: JAKARTA 1656 AND PREVIOUS 
 
JAKARTA 00001676  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1.  (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
2.  (U) This message requests Department's guidance by 
September 10.  Please see para 8 for action request. 
 
3.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Legal proceedings are scheduled to begin 
in the Central Jakarta District Court on September 17 in the 
avian-influenza lawsuit against the USG and the World Health 
Organization (refs).  A key contact at the Indonesian 
Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) has asked Mission to 
submit a letter to the court explaining the concept of 
sovereign immunity, which he would send to the court with an 
opinion from DEPLU.  Although he stated that a proceeding 
would likely still be necessary, he believed that the judges 
could dismiss the case on jurisdictional grounds, if given 
the legal basis to do so.  Mission requests immediate 
authorization to draft this letter in conjunction with the 
Department of Justice (DOJ) and local counsel.  END SUMMARY. 
 
DEPLU RECOMMENDS COURSE OF ACTION 
 
4.  (SBU) On August 13, Mission sent a Diplomatic Note to the 
Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) asserting 
sovereign immunity, as instructed by Washington (reftel).  On 
September 2, DCM, Poloff and DOJ Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) 
met with Arif Havas Oegroseno, Director of DEPLU's Office of 
Political, Legal and Regional Treaties.  During that meeting, 
Oegroseno stated he would have an informal conversation with 
the court about the case. 
 
5.  (SBU) On September 5, DCM, Poloff and DOJ Resident Legal 
Advisor (RLA) met with Arif Havas Oegroseno again at his 
request.  Oegroseno stated he had discussed the case with the 
court and, based on his conversation with the court, 
recommended Mission prepare a letter, addressed to the court, 
explaining the basis for sovereign immunity in international 
law, and requesting the case be dismissed on the grounds of 
lack of jurisdiction.  Oegroseno asked that the letter be 
sent to DEPLU under cover of a diplomatic note.  He explained 
that he would then submit our letter with a legal opinion 
from DEPLU to the court.  He clarified that the letter should 
only discuss jurisdiction to adjudicate the case and not 
touch on the merits of the case. 
 
6.  (SBU) Mission asked whether the World Health Organization 
(WHO) should submit a similar letter to the court through 
DEPLU.  Oegroseno stated that he could offer no opinion on 
the best course of action with the WHO because he had not 
spoken to any WHO representatives or received their assertion 
of immunity. 
 
DEPLU OFFERS POSTPONEMENT OF THE TRIAL 
 
7.  (SBU) At the September 5 meeting, Oegroseno said the 
court could consider postponing the date of the proceeding by 
three months.  Oegroseno agreed that the current U.S., 
 
JAKARTA 00001676  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Indonesia, and Australia conversations regarding sample 
sharing were important and noted the postponement could give 
interlocutors additional time to discuss sample sharing 
without the potential disruption caused by the civil suit. 
 
ACTION REQUEST 
 
8.  (SBU) Mission requests immediate authorization to draft 
the requested letter, in conjunction with the Department of 
Justice (DOJ) and local counsel.  Mission requests the 
Department's guidance, before September 10, as to which 
specific points to make in the requested letter regarding 
jurisdiction and the USG claim of sovereign immunity. 
HUME