Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SINGAPORE1788
2005-06-07 08:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:  

DEPUTY SECRETARY ZOELLICK'S MAY 10 MEETING WITH

Tags:  OVIP PREL PGOV ECON SN 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SINGAPORE 001788 

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STATE FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY ZOELLICK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2015
TAGS: OVIP PREL PGOV ECON SN
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY ZOELLICK'S MAY 10 MEETING WITH
SENIOR MINISTER GOH CHOK TONG

REF: SINGAPORE 910

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SINGAPORE 001788

SIPDIS

STATE FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY ZOELLICK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2015
TAGS: OVIP PREL PGOV ECON SN
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY ZOELLICK'S MAY 10 MEETING WITH
SENIOR MINISTER GOH CHOK TONG

REF: SINGAPORE 910


1. (U) Classified by: Ambassador Franklin L. Lavin. Reason
1.4(d)


2. (U) Date Time and Place: May 10, 2005, 12:30PM, Istana,
Singapore


3. (U) Participants:

U.S.
--------------

The Deputy Secretary
Ambassador Franklin Lavin
DAS Marie Huhtala, EAP
D Executive Assistant Ross Wilson
Chris Kavanagh (Embassy Notetaker)

Singapore
--------------

Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong
Minister of Defense Teo Chee Hean
Second Minister for Trade and Industry Vivian Balakrishnan
MFA Second Permanent Secretary Bilahari Kausikan
MFA Notetaker Lee Chong Hock


4. (C) Summary: During their May 10 meeting, Senior
Minister Goh Chok Tong and the Deputy Secretary discussed
developments in the Middle East, the Asia-Middle East
Dialogue, and Goh's interest in encouraging moderate
Muslims to fight terrorism at the ideological level. SM
Goh noted that Islam had gained a greater role in the
political arena in Malaysia, which was a concern for the
long-term. Turning to Indonesia, SM Goh thought it had its
best leadership team since Suharto, but its revival would
depend on President Yudhoyono's being decisive and acting
quickly. The Deputy Secretary noted Malaysia and
Indonesia's interest in enhancing maritime security.
Commenting on China, SM Goh said its leadership was focused
on promoting internal economic development. The danger
point in cross-Strait relations had passed and President
Chen Shui-bian had been boxed in by recent developments.
End Summary.

--------------
Asia-Middle East Dialogue
--------------


5. (C) During their May 10 meeting, Senior Minister Goh
Chok Tong briefed the Deputy Secretary on the Asia-Middle
East Dialogue (AMED),which Singapore was sponsoring in
June (Reftel). More than 30 countries had agreed to
participate in the event and it would bring together both
government and non-governmental organization leaders. SM
Goh said his main goal was to encourage moderate Muslims in
the Middle East to fight terrorism at the ideological

level. Only Muslims could debunk the corruption of the
Koran undertaken by extremists. The United States and
other countries could help, but it was ultimately a fight
Muslims must win themselves.


6. (C) SM Goh said he was encouraged by the success of some
Gulf States, such as Dubai and Qatar, in showing that
observant Muslims could also have a modern economy. More
travel and people-to-people exchanges, especially from
Saudi Arabia, were needed to change conservative mind
sets. Economically, the Middle East had to diversify
away from just oil. Politically, these countries had
to implement reform at their own pace, with a nudge
from the United States. The Deputy Secretary commented
that the AMED was an excellent idea and he had encouraged
the Gulf States to look at Asia as well as the United
States as a model for economic development.

--------------
Israel and Palestine
--------------


7. (C) From May 19-20, SM Goh will be visiting Israel and
Palestine. The Deputy Secretary commented that Singapore
was in a unique position to share perspectives with Israel
since they both understood the problem of lacking strategic
depth. Asked about Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud
Abbas, the Deputy Secretary said that he faces a number of
challenges in building political support on top of the
electoral legitimacy he won in the Presidential election.
Both Abbas and PM Sharon will need help and support.
The main questions were whether he could be firm enough
and control the security services.
--------------
Islam in Malaysia
--------------


8. (C) Noting that Malaysia was another part of his brief,
SM Goh said that Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi
was a good man to work with and wanted to make Malaysia a
modern and moderate Islamic country. He was concerned,
however, that introducing Islam into the political arena
was a mistake and could become a problem in the future.
Defense Minister Teo observed that it was self-defeating
for UMNO to engage in a "holier than thou" contest with the
Islamic party (PAS).

--------------
Hope for Indonesia
--------------


9. (C) Indonesia had its best chance to move forward and
its best leadership team since Suharto, observed SM Goh.
President Yudhoyono had the vision and character to restore
Indonesia. It was unclear, however, if he had the strength
to do so and would move fast enough. Vice President Jusuf
Kalla was more decisive, but lacked Yudhoyono's
international perspective. If they complemented each
other, they could make a good team. At this moment, they
appeared to be working together, although their respective
supporters were jockeying for position, noted Defense
Minister Teo.


10. (C) Teo added that it was important to institutionalize
"outward thinking" in Indonesia, especially in the armed
forces (TNI). In the late 1990's, the TNI did not consider
the United States to be a possible threat. Because it had
been cut off from contact with the United States for so
many years, however, it had grown increasingly suspicious
of the United States. In some Indonesian military planning
scenarios, the United States was rated a higher potential
threat than China.

--------------
Maritime Security
--------------


11. (C) The Deputy Secretary said he had discussed maritime
security with both Indonesia and Malaysia. Indonesia
appeared interested in assistance to improve its maritime
security capabilities. Malaysia was too, and it also saw
the benefits of real-time information sharing. Teo noted
that the foreign ministers of the three littoral states
were planning to meet soon to discuss maritime security.
There had been a historic tension between the three about
how to deal with the Malacca Strait. Singapore wanted
the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to play
a greater role in enhancing maritime security, while
Malaysia and Indonesia wanted to limit the issue to the
three littorals.

--------------
China and Cross-Strait Relations
--------------


12. (C) China's senior leadership was focused on the
country's internal economic development, commented SM Goh.
They did not want any external problems to distract them,
especially any problems with the United States. While the
economy was in good shape, there were increasing internal
stresses due to the divergence between the economically
advanced coastal regions and the interior. The Deputy
Secretary noted that China was under pressure to make major

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economic policy changes, such as to the renminbi exchange
rate. It was a new member of the international economic
system, but it had to face the burdens of being a major
economy.


13. (C) Nine months ago, Singapore was very worried about
the possibility of cross-Strait conflict, but the danger
point had now passed, said SM Goh. President Chen
Shui-bian had been boxed in by domestic unhappiness with
his pro-independence moves, President Bush's statement on
the limits to USG support, Beijing's Anti-Secession Law,
and the visits to the PRC by opposition leaders Lien Chan
and James Soong. The February U.S.-Japan statement had
also helped stabilize the cross-Strait situation.
LAVIN