EAP SENIOR ADVISOR MCGANN DISCUSSES STRAITS OF

1. (C) SUMMARY: On April 28 EAP Senior Advisor Steven McGann
briefed MFA Asian Affairs Department Counselor Guo Yan on the
2005 Jakarta International Maritime Organization (IMO)
meeting and the February 2006 Alameda &Enhancing the Safe
Use of the Strait of Malacca Conference.8 McGann explained
that the Alameda Conference participants are finalizing a
matrix of available assistance that user states can provide
to littoral states and that he would provide the matrix to
the IMO Secretary General in mid-May. Noting that U.S.
Pacific Command (PACOM) yearly &International Military
Operations and Law Conference8 in Bangkok July 17-19 would
be a good opportunity for littoral and user states to discuss
Malacca Straits security, McGann invited the PRC to send an
expert to the conference. Beijing believes the littoral
states must play a leading role in Malacca Straits security.
The PRC will study the Alameda report and the matrix of
available assistance and consider the invitation to attend
the Bangkok conference. Guo requested that the United States
and China remain in close communication on this issue. END
SUMMARY.



2. (C) Visiting EAP Senior Advisor for Maritime Security
Steven McGann, accompanied by Emboffs, met April 28 with MFA
Asian Affairs Department Counselor Guo Yan. McGann lead
off by relating to Guo the results of discussions on Malacca
Straits security issues during the September 2005
IMO-sponsored Jakarta meeting on the Straits of Malacca and
February 2006 Alameda &Enhancing the Safe Use of the Strait
of Malacca Conference.8 Two important decisions emerged
from the Jakarta IMO conference, according to McGann. First,
littoral states must take a leadership role in Malacca
Straits, security. Second, user states, affirmed the
sovereignty and territoriality of the littoral states while
offering to assist the littoral states on security matters.
In a subsequent February 2006 conference convened by the
United States in Alameda, California, Malacca Straits user
states drafted a conceptual framework for offering security
assistance to the littoral states. The framework contains
four elements: burden sharing, interoperability,
sustainability and prevention of redundancy. The Alameda
participants pledged to move forward in an open, transparent
manner so that littoral states know what is available in
terms of assistance. McGann told Guo that as a key Malacca
user state, China should be part of process and regretted
that China could not attend the Alameda conference. In
accordance with China,s request, the United States would
keep China informed on progress on this issue and McGann
provided Guo a copy of the Alameda report.



3. (C) McGann then explained that the Alameda participants
are finalizing a matrix of available assistance that he would
provide to the IMO Secretary General in mid-May. The matrix
is intended to provide descriptive details of available
assistance that user states can offer to the littoral states
and is not meant to be prescriptive. McGann pledged that he
would also provide the MFA a copy of the matrix to ensure
that China is included in the post-Alameda user state
discussions.



4. (C) Guo stated that the PRC is also very concerned about
Malacca Straits, security, as it is one of the world,s most
vital sea lanes. The Malacca Straits is crucial not only to
world economic development but also to regional stability.
The PRC position is that the littoral states, in accordance
with the United Nations Charter and international law, should
guarantee security of the Malacca Strait. The littoral
states must play a leading role in Malacca Strait security,
Guo emphasized. The littoral states also hope that user
states can provide capacity building and technical
assistance. Dialogue between user states and littoral states
can help guarantee the Malacca Straits, security. Since a
large portion of China,s oil imports and commercial trade
passes through the Malacca Straits, China would also like to
discuss with the United States strengthening security in the
Malacca Straits. Guo asked whether the matrix of available
assistance would be submitted at September IMO meeting in

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Kuala Lumpur.



5. (C) Stating that the matrix should be an important part of
the September IMO meeting, McGann noted that littoral states
expressed interest in assistance from user states during 2005
Jakarta meeting. The matrix contains information on capacity
building, information sharing, training exercises,
counterterrorism and developing partnerships with the private
sector. McGann reiterated that he would visit London in
mid-May to discuss the matrix with the IMO Secretary General.




6. (C) McGann informed Guo that since the IMO would not be
able to organize an expert-level meeting between littoral and
users states prior to the Kuala Lumpur meeting the United
States is looking to utilize an already scheduled U.S.
Pacific Command (PACOM) yearly &International Military
Operations and Law Conference8 in Bangkok July 17-19 to
discuss Malacca Straits security issues. McGann said July 18
would be devoted solely to discussing maritime issues and
hoped that the PRC would send a delegate who could address
Malacca Straits, security issues. McGann told Guo that
China had attended previous PACOM &International Military
Operations and Law Conferences8 and invited the PRC to
attend the Bangkok conference. Noting that the conference
would be structured in an academic fashion, he also invited
the PRC to make a presentation at the conference. In
response to Guo,s query about the United State,s
expectation for the meeting, McGann stated that it would
allow for both a formal and informal exchange of views among
littoral and user states and would provide a basis for a
successful IMO meeting in Kuala Lumpur in September.



7. (C) Guo thanked McGann for the invitation to the July
conference. She stated that the PRC would carefully study
the Alameda Report and the matrix of available assistance.
Guo suggested that the United States seek out and listen to
the comments of the littoral states on the matrix. She
reaffirmed the PRC,s interest in Malacca Straits, security
and requested that the United States remain in close
communication with the PRC on this issue.



8. (U) EAP Senior Advisor McGann cleared this cable.
SEDNEY