VIETNAM RATES ASEAN MEETINGS "FULLY SUCCESSFUL"

UNCLAS HANOI 002946 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/RSP SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL VM ASEAN CTERR SUBJECT: VIETNAM RATES ASEAN MEETINGS "FULLY SUCCESSFUL" REF: BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 00716 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: VIETNAM WAS FULLY SATISFIED WITH THE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02946 130325Z RESULTS OF THE ASEAN SUMMIT, ASEAN+3, AND ASEAN+1 MEETINGS IN BRUNEI NOVEMBER 5-6. MFA OFFICIALS CLAIMED THAT PM PHAN VAN KHAI TOOK THE INITIATIVE IN GETTING THE STRONG ENDORSEMENT OF EARLY RATIFICATION BY ALL MEMBERS OF THE 12 CONVENTIONS AGAINST TERRORISM; TERRORISM IN GENERAL WAS ONE OF THE TWO MAJOR THEMES IDENTIFIED BY MFA AS DOMINATING THE TALKS. THE OTHER KEY TOPIC FROM VIETNAM'S PERSPECTIVE WAS HOW TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECT ON ASEAN'S FUTURE OF DIVERGENT ECONOMIC LEVELS AND GROWTH AMONG THE "OLD" AND "NEW" MEMBERS. VIETNAM RATED BRUNEI'S ORGANIZATION AND LEADERSHIP AS GOOD. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) MFA ASEAN DEPARTMENT DEPTUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL PHAM HUU CHI MET WITH POL/C AND POLOFFS ON NOVEMBER 7 FOLLOWING HIS RETURN FROM THE ASEAN MEETINGS IN BRUNEI. CHI CONFIRMED THAT MUCH OF THE SUMMIT'S DISCUSSIONS WERE CENTERED ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND HOW TO COPE WITH IT. CHI SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN IMPRESSED THAT ASEAN, AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAD HISTORICALLY BEEN FAIRLY WED TO A PRE- DETERMINED AGENDA PLANNED MONTHS IN ADVANCE, HAD BEEN ABLE SO QUICKLY TO INCORPORATE A FOCUS ON THIS TOPIC AFTER THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11. HE CLAIMED THAT PM KHAI MADE A PUSH TO URGE ALL MEMBERS TO RATIFY ALL 12 CONVENTIONS AGAINST TERRORISM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND WAS ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN PUTTING FORWARD THE SUCCESSFUL PROPOSAL THAT ASEAN CONVENE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCES AT THE FOREIGN MINISTER AND INTERIOR MINISTER LEVELS, PROBABLY IN FEBRUARY AND APRIL RESPECTIVELY, TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT THREAT AND CONCRETE MEASURES TO COUNTER TERRORISM. HE ADDED THAT PM KHAI ALSO PROPOSED CREATION OF AN ASEAN COORDINATION CENTER IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO IMPROVE LIAISON WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH OTHER UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 02946 130325Z LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES SUCH AS INTERPOL. EVENTUALLY, MEMBER STATES MIGHT ASSIGN A LIAISON OFFICER TO THEIR OVERSEAS EMBASSIES IN EACH OTHERS' COUNTRIES, HE DESCRIBED. ¶3. (SBU) CHI CLAIMED THAT THE LEADERS DID NOT/NOT DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF COALITION MILITARY ACTION IN AFGHANISTAN, AND THAT NONE OF THE LEADERS HAD ADVOCATED A STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR ONGOING ACTIONS BY THE US AND THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION. HE SAID THAT THE LEADERS FOCUSED ON COUNTER- MEASURES AGAINST TERRORISM IN THE REGION INSTEAD. ¶4. (SBU) ACCORDING TO CHI, LEADERS DISCUSSED CONCERNS ABOUT ASEAN'S FUTURE GIVEN DEVELOPMENTAL GAPS BETWEEN THE "OLD" AND "NEW" MEMBERS. CHI STATED THAT ASEAN COULD NOT "MOVE FORWARD IF NEIGHBORS ARE TOO POOR." HE CITED THE DISPARITY BETWEEN THAILAND AND MYANMAR AS A CASE IN POINT. CHI NOTED PARTICULAR GAPS WITHIN ASEAN REGARDING INFRASTRUCTURE (INCLUDING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY) AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT. HE SAID THE LEADERS HAD ALSO DISCUSSED THE NEED TO PROMOTE INTRA-ASIAN TRADE ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN. HE POINTED TO CAMBODIAN PRIME MINISTER HUN SEN'S PROPOSAL TO CREATE ANOTHER GROWTH TRIANGLE FOR THE MEKONG REGION AS AN EXAMPLE. LEADERS ALSO DISCUSSED THE NEED TO COMPLETE SINGAPORE-KUNMING RAIL LINKS (VIA CAMBODIA AND VIETNAM). ¶5. (U) CHI NOTED VIETNAM'S SATISFACTION WITH THE PROPOSAL TO BRING CHINA INTO THE ASEAN FREE TRADE AREA BUT NOTED THAT IT COULD TAKE UP TO TEN YEARS TO ACCOMPLISH. MINISTRIES OF TRADE WILL BE EXPLORING THE MODALITIES OF THIS PROPOSAL, HE SAID. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 02946 130325Z ¶6. (SBU) CHI EXPLAINED THAT LEADERS HAD DISCUSSED, WITHOUT CONCLUSION, THE IDEA OF AN ASEAN SUMMIT WITH INDIA, ON AN ANNUAL OR BIANNUAL BASIS. HE SAID THAT SOUTH KOREA, WITH SUPPORT FROM JAPAN AND MALAYSIA, HAD SOUGHT TO STRENGTHEN THE ASEAN+3 PROCESS (MUCH ALONG THE LINES OF THE EARLIER EAEC CONCEPT),WHILE SINGAPORE REMAINED OPPOSED TO SUCH ACTION. HE CLAIMED THAT THE ONLY DISCUSSION OF THE SPRATLEYS DURING THE ASEAN+3 MEETING CAME WHEN CHINA AND THE PHILIPPINES SEPARATELY EXPRESSED HOPES FOR THE CONCLUSION OF A CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE REGION. CHI ALSO SAID THAT IN ORDER TO EXPAND ASEAN'S EXTERNAL RELATIONS FURTHER, THE "MYANMAR PROBLEM" WILL HAVE TO BE RESOLVED. ¶8. (SBU) CHI RATED THE MEETINGS AS "FULLY SUCCESSFUL" AND NOTED THAT VIETNAM WAS "FULLY SATISFIED." HE GAVE GOOD MARKS TO BRUNEI'S ORGANIZATION AND LEADERSHIP. THE ONLY GLITCH CAME DURING THE LAO PRIME MINISTER'S REMARKS, MOST OF WHICH FOR SOME REASON WERE NOT TRANSLATED SO THE OTHER LEADERS COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HIM. PORTER UNCLASSIFIED