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