Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BANGKOK5032
2006-08-17 08:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:
UNSYG UPDATE: SURAKIART'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER
how-toVZCZCXRO2743 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHBK #5032/01 2290834 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 170834Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1009 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 5103 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2869 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1171 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0626 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1273 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2000 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4061 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 3327 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 8230 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 005032
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS, IO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV TH UNSC
SUBJECT: UNSYG UPDATE: SURAKIART'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER
REF: A. BANGKOK 004742 (SURAKIART ON HIS UNSYG CANDIDACY)
B. BANGKOK 004803 (CHINESE ON NORTH KOREA AND THE
UNSYG CANDIDATE)
Classified By: Political Counselor Susan M. Sutton. Reason 1.4 (B,D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 005032
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS, IO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV TH UNSC
SUBJECT: UNSYG UPDATE: SURAKIART'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER
REF: A. BANGKOK 004742 (SURAKIART ON HIS UNSYG CANDIDACY)
B. BANGKOK 004803 (CHINESE ON NORTH KOREA AND THE
UNSYG CANDIDATE)
Classified By: Political Counselor Susan M. Sutton. Reason 1.4 (B,D)
1. (C) Summary. Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart
Sathirathai's campaign to succeed Kofi Annan is on track,
according to his campaign manager Suriya Chindawongse, and
his team is hoping for a conclusion to the race in
September/October. Surakiart is "not worried about Asian
support for his candidacy" and is counting on ASEAN members
to lobby UNSC states for him. According to Suriya,
Surakiart's pitch revolves around his suitability to drive UN
management reform and his status as a "bridge builder who can
be trusted by all parties." Nonetheless, Suriya emphasized
that UNSYG Surakiart would be good for the United States. End
Summary.
CAMPAIGN ON TRACK
--------------
2. (C) In an August 17 meeting with poloffs, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA) Counselor Suriya Chindawongsae outlined
the status of Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Surakiart's
campaign to be the next UN Secretary General. Suriya, who
serves as Surakiart's campaign manager, said that the DPM and
his team are hoping that the race for UNSYG is wrapped up by
September/October. According to Suriya--who served for three
years in New York at the UN--some member states are hoping
that the next UNSYG can overlap with Koffi Annan for a short
period, to provide a smooth transition.
3. (C) Suriya characterized Surakiart's campaign as on track;
"we are not worried about Asian support for his candidacy."
Following the July 24 UNSC straw poll (ref A) the DPM met
with the ASEAN foreign ministers and ARF dialogue partners in
Kuala Lumpur, where he received "lots of encouragement."
Surakiart's current strategy is to use ASEAN members to lobby
UNSC member states for him. ASEAN support for Surakiart is
solid, as evinced by Singapore's demarche of P-5 members in
New York explaining that there will be no Singaporean
candidate. Suriya, who refused to discuss specific
competitors for the post, nonetheless characterized
Surakiart's competition as having "started late." Suriya also
expressed surprise at the strong showing by the Indian
candidate in the July strawpoll.
SURAKIART'S PITCH
--------------
4. (C) Expanding on the information in ref A, Suriya outlined
Surakiart's three-point pitch to UNSC member states. The
first item on Surakiart's agenda would be UN management
reform. As a UN "outsider" with broad experience in
politics, private business, academia and foreign policy,
Surakiart would be more effective than other Asian candidates
in accomplishing this mission. Second, Surakiart would
leverage his (self-described) role as a "bridge builder who
can be trusted by all parties" to expand and enhance
international peace and security efforts. Finally,
Surakiart's nationality is a major bonus. Thailand is "not
too big and not too small," and is not seen as a stalking
horse for any other member states. When asked how this pitch
was received by UNSC members, Suriya admitted that the first
question that most asked was "how many slots will we get in
the secretariat?"
5. (C) According to Suriya, Surakiart has also drawn up a
list of other areas he would like to tackle as UNSYG,
including an expanded role for the UN in providing disaster
relief and preventing pandemics, increasing UN cooperation
regional groups such as ASEAN, and boosting public-private
partnerships.
OUR SPECIAL FRIEND
--------------
6. (C) Suriya made a point of emphasizing that, while
BANGKOK 00005032 002 OF 002
Thailand's historic role as a friend to the world is a major
selling point for Surakiart, the RTG's natural affinity for
the United States should be a key consideration for
Washington. People should not be worried that Thailand and
Surakiart are "too close to China."
SUPPORT ON THE HOME FRONT
--------------
7. (C) Suriya dismissed domestic criticism of Surakiart's
campaign (ref A) as evidence of political bias in the
English-language Thai press. The antipathy of retired
foreign policy professionals towards the Thaksin government
is driving criticism of Surakiart and does not reflect
national opinion.
BOYCE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS, IO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV TH UNSC
SUBJECT: UNSYG UPDATE: SURAKIART'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER
REF: A. BANGKOK 004742 (SURAKIART ON HIS UNSYG CANDIDACY)
B. BANGKOK 004803 (CHINESE ON NORTH KOREA AND THE
UNSYG CANDIDATE)
Classified By: Political Counselor Susan M. Sutton. Reason 1.4 (B,D)
1. (C) Summary. Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart
Sathirathai's campaign to succeed Kofi Annan is on track,
according to his campaign manager Suriya Chindawongse, and
his team is hoping for a conclusion to the race in
September/October. Surakiart is "not worried about Asian
support for his candidacy" and is counting on ASEAN members
to lobby UNSC states for him. According to Suriya,
Surakiart's pitch revolves around his suitability to drive UN
management reform and his status as a "bridge builder who can
be trusted by all parties." Nonetheless, Suriya emphasized
that UNSYG Surakiart would be good for the United States. End
Summary.
CAMPAIGN ON TRACK
--------------
2. (C) In an August 17 meeting with poloffs, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA) Counselor Suriya Chindawongsae outlined
the status of Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Surakiart's
campaign to be the next UN Secretary General. Suriya, who
serves as Surakiart's campaign manager, said that the DPM and
his team are hoping that the race for UNSYG is wrapped up by
September/October. According to Suriya--who served for three
years in New York at the UN--some member states are hoping
that the next UNSYG can overlap with Koffi Annan for a short
period, to provide a smooth transition.
3. (C) Suriya characterized Surakiart's campaign as on track;
"we are not worried about Asian support for his candidacy."
Following the July 24 UNSC straw poll (ref A) the DPM met
with the ASEAN foreign ministers and ARF dialogue partners in
Kuala Lumpur, where he received "lots of encouragement."
Surakiart's current strategy is to use ASEAN members to lobby
UNSC member states for him. ASEAN support for Surakiart is
solid, as evinced by Singapore's demarche of P-5 members in
New York explaining that there will be no Singaporean
candidate. Suriya, who refused to discuss specific
competitors for the post, nonetheless characterized
Surakiart's competition as having "started late." Suriya also
expressed surprise at the strong showing by the Indian
candidate in the July strawpoll.
SURAKIART'S PITCH
--------------
4. (C) Expanding on the information in ref A, Suriya outlined
Surakiart's three-point pitch to UNSC member states. The
first item on Surakiart's agenda would be UN management
reform. As a UN "outsider" with broad experience in
politics, private business, academia and foreign policy,
Surakiart would be more effective than other Asian candidates
in accomplishing this mission. Second, Surakiart would
leverage his (self-described) role as a "bridge builder who
can be trusted by all parties" to expand and enhance
international peace and security efforts. Finally,
Surakiart's nationality is a major bonus. Thailand is "not
too big and not too small," and is not seen as a stalking
horse for any other member states. When asked how this pitch
was received by UNSC members, Suriya admitted that the first
question that most asked was "how many slots will we get in
the secretariat?"
5. (C) According to Suriya, Surakiart has also drawn up a
list of other areas he would like to tackle as UNSYG,
including an expanded role for the UN in providing disaster
relief and preventing pandemics, increasing UN cooperation
regional groups such as ASEAN, and boosting public-private
partnerships.
OUR SPECIAL FRIEND
--------------
6. (C) Suriya made a point of emphasizing that, while
BANGKOK 00005032 002 OF 002
Thailand's historic role as a friend to the world is a major
selling point for Surakiart, the RTG's natural affinity for
the United States should be a key consideration for
Washington. People should not be worried that Thailand and
Surakiart are "too close to China."
SUPPORT ON THE HOME FRONT
--------------
7. (C) Suriya dismissed domestic criticism of Surakiart's
campaign (ref A) as evidence of political bias in the
English-language Thai press. The antipathy of retired
foreign policy professionals towards the Thaksin government
is driving criticism of Surakiart and does not reflect
national opinion.
BOYCE