RI, U.S. to hold Namru-2 talks in July

Tony Hotland ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 06/24/2008 10:02 AM  |  World

Indonesia and the United States will hold discussions next month on the future of the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit 2 (Namru-2), following widespread calls for its closure, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said Monday.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Namru-2 expired in 2005, but it continues operating. The Health Ministry recently stopped sharing new virus samples with the laboratory.

Calls Namru-2 to close have been made since early 2000 by ministers and military officials. The government submitted a new draft MoU in November last year and the U.S. has recently responded with its own draft.

At a hearing before the House of Representatives' Commission I, which oversees defense, information and foreign affairs, Hassan said Washington was slow in responding to Jakarta's call to conclude negotiations.

Hassan said no deadline for the negotiation to be completed had been set, but implied it could take a lot of time because of four points of contention in the two draft MoUs.

Indonesia insists only the director and deputy director of the lab be granted diplomatic immunity and privileges, but the U.S. is calling for diplomatic privileges to be extended to all Americans working at the lab.

"The lab is a research facility, not a diplomatic mission," Hassan said.

"We've been trying to limit such privileges to only the top two American staff at Namru since 2001."

The U.S. has insisted the lab falls under the auspices of its embassy, and hence all of its American staff are entitled to the privileges.

Hassan said the Indonesian Navy had requested to be included in the team supervising Namru-2.

"Because Namru-2 is run by the U.S. Navy, some believe our military, and not just the Health Ministry, should also be involved," he said.

Hassan said the government was also seeking increased access to Namru-2's operations and increased transfer of technology to Indonesian institutions.

He said a fourth sticking point was Indonesia's demand for a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) for all virus-sharing activities. He said this was to prevent the lab from sending samples to the U.S. to be developed as vaccines that would be sold to developing countries at unaffordable prices.

"I hear there's a possibility the U.S. is willing to negotiate the MTA issue," Hassan said.

The U.S. has previously said such an agreement was unnecessary because Namru-2 did not transfer samples it collected from across the country.

House members also grilled Hassan on the alleged intervention of presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal in ensuring Namru-2 remained in operation.

Dino was the ministry's director for North and Central American Affairs. Documents show he allegedly told related ministers and officials Namru-2's work was beneficial to the country and it should be allowed to continue operations.

"As far as I know, Dino is not part of the team working on the MoU. His position, whatever that may be, represents only himself or the President," Hassan said.

"But as far as I know, the President, in meetings with President George W. Bush in November 2006 and the U.S. Health Secretary recently, has only called for a quick conclusion to the negotiations."

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