ASEAN-US ISSUES

UNCLAS HANOI 000520 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/RSP AND EAP/BCLTV E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL EAID VM ASEAN SUBJECT: ASEAN-US ISSUES REF: A. DEVILLAFRANCA/BELLARD E-MAIL 3/4/03 B. HANOI 0115 ¶1. (U) This is an action request: see para 5. ¶2. (U) ICM: MFA ASEAN Department Deputy Director General Tran Ngoc An confirmed on March 5 to Pol/C that ASEAN had agreed to hold the initial Informal Coordinating Mechanism (ICM) meeting in Vientiane during the afternoon of March 28, following the ISG CBMs meeting. Representatives on the ASEAN side will come from Vietnam (current coordinating country),Thailand (incoming coordinating country),and the ASEAN Secretariat, as well as from any other ASEAN countries that would like to join. Following e-mail exchanges with EAP/RSP and the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN concurs with proposed draft agenda as below: -- Review of initial ASEAN Cooperation Plan (ACP) projects (US lead): Information and Communication technology; Agriculture Biotechnology; Health; Disaster Response; Training for ASEAN Secretariat Staff -- Counterterrorism Cooperation (US lead) -- Discussion of Future Cooperation (ASEAN lead) -- ASEAN Cooperation with other Dialogue Partners (ASEAN lead) -- Preparation for the ASEAN-US Dialogue meeting (ASEAN lead) -- Discussion of next ICM (venue and date). ¶3. (U) 17th US-ASEAN Dialogue: DDG An said that ASEAN understood why the US side wished to hold this meeting as soon after the ARF SOM as possible. ASEAN now proposes to hold this meeting in Hanoi Saturday/Sunday May 3 and 4, which will enable participants to take part in the May 1 field trip in Cambodia and use May 2 for a travel day. Proposed agenda in para 4. ASEAN welcomed the working lunch with business representatives at the 16th US-ASEAN Dialogue in Washington and especially wishes to include this feature this year, perhaps with the US-ASEAN Business Council inviting US participants and the ASEAN-US Business Council inviting ASEAN participants. DDG An added that "the more, the merrier" in terms of the business participants at the lunch. ¶4. (U) Draft provisional agenda, 17th ASEAN-US Dialogue ¶I. Welcoming and opening remarks II. Adoption of agenda III. Business arrangements IV. Working lunch with the ASEAN and US private sectors (if there are a number of businessmen from US and ASEAN who want to join) ¶V. Exchange of Views on ASEAN-US Cooperation -- Outcome of the 8th ASEAN Summit -- ASEAN-US Development Cooperation: review of ASEAN-US Development Cooperation; the Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative; ASEAN-US Cooperation Plan VI. Exchange of views on international issues: -- Security issues: regional security outlook; international terrorism and other transnational crimes; South China Sea; Korean Peninsula; The Middle East. -- Economic issues: economic outlook; trade and investment; WTO and APEC development. VII. Future Direction for ASEAN-US Dialogue VIII. Date and venue of the next meeting. ¶5. (U) Action request: There will be an ASEAN SOM in Cambodia Sunday, March 9. If possible, our Vietnamese interlocutors would welcome US responses to these dates and proposed agendas, as well as any other feedback, in time to share with their ASEAN counterparts this weekend. DDG An and staff will leave Hanoi Friday, March 7. Please advise. BURGHARDT