SENATOR FEINGOLD'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER KANTATHI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 001215

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS, PRM, H
PACOM FOR FPA (HUSO)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL TH BURMA LAOS US FTA ASEAN IRAQ
SUBJECT: SENATOR FEINGOLD'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER
KANTATHI

Classified By: Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce. Reason 1.4 (b)


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a February 20 meeting with Senator
Russell Feingold (D-WI),Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi
Suphamongkhon discussed the ongoing violence in southern
Thailand; ASEAN; the U.S.-Thai FTA; China; and perceptions of
the U.S. Senator Feingold emphasized the strong nature of
the U.S.-Thai relationship and thanked the Thai government
for cooperation following the 2004 tsunami and for Thai
assistance in relocating Hmong refugees to the U.S. However,
he expressed concern over the case of 27 Hmong children and
Thailand's Burma policy. END SUMMARY

VISIT HIGHLIGHTS STRONG BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP
-------------- -


2. (SBU) On February 20, Senator Russell Feingold (D-WI)
and Ambassador Boyce called on Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi
Suphamongkhon. Senator Feingold praised the deep
relationship between the U.S. and Thailand, and thanked the
Foreign Minister for past Thai contributions to Afghanistan
and Iraq. He noted that the large ethnic Hmong population in
Wisconsin gave him a special connection to the region.
Kantathi agreed that joint Thai-U.S. assistance to the region
following the December 2004 tsunami demonstrated the
multi-dimensional nature of the U.S.-Thai relationship. That
relationship had been positively reaffirmed during Prime
Minister Thaksin's meeting with the President in September

2005.

SOUTHERN SITUATION REMAINS A DOMESTIC ISSUE
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3. (SBU) Senator Feingold asked the Foreign Minister for his
assessment of the current situation in far southern Thailand.
Kantathi noted that five percent of the Thai population was
Muslim and -- with the exception of the Muslims in the three
provinces along the Malaysian border -- were well integrated
into Thai society. He repeatedly emphasized that the problem
in the South was a domestic issue and that there was no link
to international terrorists. While some of the violence was
being carried out by separatists insurgents, many attacks
were being carried out by narcotics traffickers or other
criminal gangs who were using the insurgency as cover.


4. (SBU) Kantathi said the RTG was trying to address the
violence by arresting and prosecuting identifiable insurgents
while simultaneously working to counter separatist
propaganda. He expressed concern that separatists were
cynically using religion to manipulate Muslim youth. To
counter this propaganda, the RTG was expanding programs that
emphasize moderate Islam and was focusing on educational
reforms that emphasize job skills. "The goal is to make the
South a place where Buddhists and Muslims can live together
peacefully." Many ethnic Malays in the South "feel more
Malaysian than Thai." Relations with Malaysia had been
strained due to the violence and the flight of 131 Thais to
Malaysian territory in 2005, but were improving. Thailand
was reaching out to Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as Middle
Eastern countries, to bring moderate voices of Islam to the
region. The recent visit of Jordan's King Abdullah was part
of that effort.


5. (SBU) Responding to the Senator's inquiries as to the
progress of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC),
Kantathi said the government was working with the NRC, but
cautioned that they would "wait to see if the commission's
goals matched up to the government's." The Senator expressed
concern over reports of extrajudicial killings. Kantathi
acknowledged that there had been instances where individual
local police and soldiers had used unnecessary violence --
citing the Krue Se Mosque incident of April 2004 as an
example. The government was working to rein in these rogue
elements while maintaining law and order in the region.

HMONG REFUGEES - CONCERN OVER 27 CHILDREN
--------------


6. (SBU) Senator Feingold thanked the RTG for previous
cooperation in the resettlement of Lao Hmong refugees from
Thailand to the U.S., but expressed concern over the 27 Hmong
children who had been separated from the families in Thailand
and returned to Laos. Kantathi said they were working
closely with Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavat on
the issue of the 27 children. The Lao were very sensitive
about the issue and Somsavat was personally "upset" over the
U.S. handling of the children. Kantathi insisted that the
children would be brought back to Thailand as "a temporary
measure." He was concerned that the children and other
resettlement efforts were acting as a "pull-factor" that was
encouraging illegal immigration into Thailand. Senator
Feingold and the Foreign Minister agreed that continued
cooperation and a common message from the RTG and USG were
important to resolve this issue.

BURMA - CONCERN OVER LACK OF PROGRESS
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7. (SBU) Senator Feingold expressed concern over the
situation in Burma -- particularly the continued detention of
Aung San Suu Kyi -- noting it was an issue that united the
U.S. Congress. Kantathi said that Prime Minister Thaksin and
other ASEAN leaders had been critical of the Burmese regime's
lack of progress during the recent ASEAN summit and had
agreed that a Malaysian delegation would go to Burma to check
on national reconciliation efforts. Originally the visit had
been scheduled for January, however, the Burmese had
postponed the visit. Kantathi assured the Senator that he
was working hard to communicate the dissatisfaction of the
international community to the Burmese regime and would
continue to use their "open channel" to the Burmese senior
leadership.

ASEAN - MOVING FORWARD
--------------


8. (SBU) Turning to ASEAN, Kantathi said the Enhanced
Partnership with the U.S. was at the forefront of Thai ASEAN
policy. Kantathi said the ASEAN Foreign Minister's meeting
with Secretary Rice in New York had been very productive.
ASEAN had committed itself to the creation of an ASEAN
Community by 2015, instead of 2020, and were proceeding with
ASEAN Free Trade zone.

FTA - NO MOVEMENT
--------------


9. (SBU) Senator Feingold cautioned Kantathi over the lack
of forward progress on the FTA, noting that many Members of
congress had reservations about free trade agreements (and
will have more difficulty supporting an FTA in an election
season). Kantathi agreed that both sides were interested in
a "fair" agreement.

CHINA - A COMPETITOR AND PARTNER
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10. (SBU) Kantathi described China as both a potential
competitor as well as a partner. The Thais believe that
China was taking a peaceful approach to the region and that
the Thai-China relationship was "healthy." Thailand
understood that China would continue to grow more
economically powerful, but believed a resurgent China was not
a security threat.

PERCEPTION OF THE U.S. - IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN
--------------


11. (SBU) Feingold asked Kantathi how the U.S. was
perceived in the region. Kantathi said that overall the U.S.
had a positive image in Thailand, however, the Thai people
had mixed feelings about U.S. involvement in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Some supported decisive U.S. action, while
others were concerned that the actions are helping Al-Qaeda
recruitment efforts. The RTG was particularly concerned over
the situation in Iraq. "We don't see a light at the end of
the tunnel." The Thai government would continue to work with
the U.S., but a future deployment of Thai troops to the Iraq
or Afghanistan was out of the question due to sensitivities
over the situation in southern Thailand.


12. (U) Senator Feingold's office cleared this message.
BOYCE