DEMARCHE DELIVERED: THAILAND INTERESTED BUT

UNCLAS BANGKOK 007268

SIPDIS

WHA/AND FOR NAN FIFE; USOAS/POL FOR SERGIO GARCIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PTER TH OAS
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: THAILAND INTERESTED BUT
NONCOMMITAL ON CONTRIBUTING TO COLOMBIA OAS MISSION

REF: SECSTATE 207705


1. Poloff delivered Reftel demarche on November 21 to Ms.
Patchanee Kithavorn, Director of the Latin America Division
of the MFA Department of American and South Pacific Affairs.
Patchanee told Poloff that she received Post's non-paper and
that the RTG was sympathetic to the needs of the OAS Mission
in Colombia. Although Thailand has been an observer member of
the Organization of American States since 1998, Patchanee
believed this was the first time the RTG had been solicited
for a contribution of this nature. Although Thailand has
historically been active in assisting peacekeeping missions
around the world, it was almost always done under the
auspices of the United Nations. The MFA, she explained, had
no mechanism in place to contribute funds or personnel to an
OAS mission. She added that it was "possible" that the RTG
might be able to come up with something. Poloff suggested the
OAS mission might be a good opportunity for the MFA to
discuss what sort of procedures could be implemented to
contribute assistance to non-UN missions. Patchanee agreed to
discuss the matter with her colleagues in the Ministry, but
remained non-committal on what sort of contribution, if any,
Thailand might agree to make.
BOYCE