Colombo Plan: Consensus emerging on

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000239

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, IO/T, NEA/IAI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2-11-13
TAGS: PREL AORC EAID SNAR CE TH IR
SUBJECT: Colombo Plan: Consensus emerging on
Thai candidate for secretary general slot

Ref: (A) Colombo-SA/INS 2/10/03 class e-mail

- (B) New Delhi 797
- (C) Colombo-SA/INS 1/24/03 fax
- (D) Bangkok 382
- (E) USMission New York 101 (All Notal)

(U) Classified by W. Lewis Amselem, Deputy Chief of
Mission. Reasons 1.5 (b, d)


1. (U) This is an Action Request -- Please see Para 4.


2. (C) Poloff attended a February 11 Colombo Plan
meeting focused on selecting a new secretary general of
the organization. (Note: The new secretary general,
who will serve a four-year term, will take over in June
from the current incumbent, an Indian.) During the
course of the meeting, members decided that Kittipan
Kanjanapipatkul, the candidate proposed by the Thai
government, should be interviewed for the spot. (Note:
Per Ref D, the Thai government has requested our support
for its candidate. Kanjanapipatkul is a Thai government
official, who has done significant work with the Colombo
Plan in the past. His c.v. is included in Ref C.)
Poloff did not join in this decision, pending Washington
instructions. Members (again, other than the U.S.)
agreed that the Iranian candidate, Nasrollah Kazemi
Kamyab, should also be invited in for an interview.
(Note: Mission just received Kamyab's c.v., which it is
faxing to Washington. He has ambassador-ranking and
represents Iran at ECOSOC at the UN.) Other than the
Thai and the Iranian, none of the other candidates (from
Bhutan, India, Mongolia, two from Pakistan, and Sri
Lanka) was invited for interviews. (Note: Although
Burma clearly indicated support for the Thai candidate,
it also recommended reviewing the Bhutanese candidate --
also see Ref B. No one else spoke on behalf of Bhutan's
candidate.)


3. (C) The Thai candidate seems to have by far the most
support. Indeed, a consensus seems to be developing
around his candidacy. It was not clear why the Iranian
candidate was thrown in the mix, with only Malaysia and
Australia recommending him (and both these members
actually seem to support the Thai candidate). The next
selection meeting is scheduled for March 6, with the
Thai and Iranian nominees scheduled to attend and be
interviewed by members. Based on what we understand,
the Korean chair of the Colombo Plan may propose as
early as that day that members vote for a candidate.


4. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Mission requests guidance on
whether we should join the emerging consensus and
support Thailand's nominee, Kittipan Kanjanapipatkul, as
Secretary General of the Colombo Plan. Mission requests

SIPDIS
Washington's guidance before the Colombo Plan meeting on
March 6, where members may well be asked to vote.
Mission also requests whether it should participate in
the planned interview of the Iranian candidate that day
or sit it out. END ACTION REQUEST.


5. (U) Minimize considered.

WILLS