09.15.11
Cablegate: Bill Gates an Asian Leader, Promotes Microsoft
Summary: A look at a Jakarta cable and the role Bill Gates played after he had left daytime duties at Microsoft
LAST week we showed diplomatic cables where Bill Gates got named as a participant in Asian leaders conferences/panels. In the following Cablegate cable we see this too. It also ends with: “Bill Gates spoke to 2,000 assembled government officials and students at a Presidential Lecture organized by the Kadin Secretariat. During the event, Gates recognized a student group from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) as the national of a Microsoft sponsored innovation competition and also announced that Universitas Pelita Harapan has been named the fifth Indonesian university that will host a Microsoft innovation center.”
Here is the cable:
VZCZCXRO1610 PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHJA #0932 1330854 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 120854Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8969 RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC RUEAWJB/DOJ WASHDC RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7779 UNCLAS JAKARTA 000932 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG, L/DL, EAP/EX, EB/CIP AND OES/IHA USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN USDA/FAS/OSTA BRANT, ROSENBLUM USDA/APHIS ANNELLI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO [Biological and Medical Science], EAGR [Agriculture and Forestry], KFLU [Avian and Pandemic Influenza Activities], ECPS [Communications and Postal Systems], AMGT [Management Operations], PGOV [Internal Governmental Affairs], ID [Indonesia] SUBJECT: Bill Gates Attends Government Leaders Forum Asia ¶1. (U) During the May 8-9 Microsoft Government Leaders Forum (GLF) in Jakarta, Bill Gates praised President Yudhoyono for personally leading Indonesia's national committee on information technology and for setting ambitious goals. Gates said that while not all of Indonesia's goals in information technology will likely be achievable in current timeframes, having lofty goals in itself is a best practice as it serves as a driver towards achievement. Yudhoyono highlighted the USAID/MCC-supported E-Procurement system as an example of Indonesia's effort to promote electronic governance in order to streamline processes and improve transparency. Over 200 government leaders and private sector participants from other Asian countries attended the forum that focused on education, health and economic development. ¶2. (SBU) During the forum, Microsoft President Director for Indonesia Tony Chen told Embassy staff that hosting the GLF Conference in Jakarta was a boon to both Microsoft Indonesia and to the Indonesian government. He thanked Embassy staff for assistance, emphasizing the important role Ambassador Hume played in allaying Microsoft leadership's security concerns. Hume's trip to Redmond, Washington was one of the important factors in Microsoft's decision to hold the forum in Jakarta. ¶3.(SBU) On the sides of the forum, a Gates Foundation official queried Embassy staff on latest developments in avian influenza sample sharing and on recent Ministry of Health actions barring NAMRU-2 from receiving samples. He noted that Indonesian media had mischaracterized the Gates Foundation's interest in avian influenza assistance to Indonesia. The Gates Foundation was interested in working on new vaccine development technologies that would ultimately eliminate chronic global vaccine shortages years from now. The Foundation was not planning on specific assistance to Indonesia to develop an avian influenza vaccine. ¶4. (SBU) On May 9, Bill Gates spoke to 2,000 assembled government officials and students at a Presidential Lecture organized by the Kadin Secretariat. During the event, Gates recognized a student group from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) as the national of a Microsoft sponsored innovation competition and also announced that Universitas Pelita Harapan has been named the fifth Indonesian university that will host a Microsoft innovation center. HEFFERN
Gotta help Microsoft lock-in while he’s at it. █
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