Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU805
2006-03-24 11:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
MORE DETAILS ON SAARC OBSERVER STATUS FOR U.S.
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHKT #0805 0831116 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 241116Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0869 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 4089 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 4359 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 9442 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 2342 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3747 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 9420 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0780 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0734 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000805
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, SCA/RA
NSC FOR RICHELSOPH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2016
TAGS: PREL XD NP
SUBJECT: MORE DETAILS ON SAARC OBSERVER STATUS FOR U.S.
REF: KATHMANDU 791
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
APRIL 10 SUB-MINISTERIAL MEETING TO DISCUSS OBSERVER STATUS
GUIDELINES
--------------------------------------------- --------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000805
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, SCA/RA
NSC FOR RICHELSOPH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2016
TAGS: PREL XD NP
SUBJECT: MORE DETAILS ON SAARC OBSERVER STATUS FOR U.S.
REF: KATHMANDU 791
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
APRIL 10 SUB-MINISTERIAL MEETING TO DISCUSS OBSERVER STATUS
GUIDELINES
-------------- --------------
1. (C) In a March 24 conversation with Emboff, Rajiv Chander,
Director, India, South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) Secretariat, explained that, in light of
the agreement to extend observer status to China and Japan
and interest by South Korea and the U.S. (reftel),foreign
secretaries would discuss guidelines for adding observers at
SIPDIS
the sub-ministerial meeting in Dhaka on April 10. (Note:
Reftel incorrectly referred to the April 10 meeting as a
ministerial meeting. End Note.) Chander said that SAARC
foreign secretaries would meet again in July in order to
prepare the issues to be discussed by ministers at the SAARC
ministerial meeting later that month. He noted that a "yes"
vote had been all that was needed to add China and Japan as
observers at the 2005 Dhaka summit. Chander explained that
member states would likely again vote on adding observers at
the next summit, which may not be held until the first
quarter of 2007. Chander mentioned that the SAARC charter
would not need to be amended to give observer status to China
and Japan or any others interested in observer status, but
would have to be amended to add Afghanistan as a new SAARC
member.
OBSERVER STATUS IS VOLUNTARY
--------------
2. (C) Chander explained that at this point observer status
was purely voluntary and that there were no plans for any
financial or legal obligations for observer states. He added
that any formal technical assistance or other cooperation
desired between an observer and a member state would have to
be worked out bilaterally. Chander outlined that while
procedures for observer states were evolving, he would expect
observers to be invited to inaugural sessions at annual
summits and perhaps to other organized meetings between
member states and observers on the margins of the summit. He
mentioned this was similar to the way the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) handled its observer states.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, SCA/RA
NSC FOR RICHELSOPH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2016
TAGS: PREL XD NP
SUBJECT: MORE DETAILS ON SAARC OBSERVER STATUS FOR U.S.
REF: KATHMANDU 791
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
APRIL 10 SUB-MINISTERIAL MEETING TO DISCUSS OBSERVER STATUS
GUIDELINES
-------------- --------------
1. (C) In a March 24 conversation with Emboff, Rajiv Chander,
Director, India, South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) Secretariat, explained that, in light of
the agreement to extend observer status to China and Japan
and interest by South Korea and the U.S. (reftel),foreign
secretaries would discuss guidelines for adding observers at
SIPDIS
the sub-ministerial meeting in Dhaka on April 10. (Note:
Reftel incorrectly referred to the April 10 meeting as a
ministerial meeting. End Note.) Chander said that SAARC
foreign secretaries would meet again in July in order to
prepare the issues to be discussed by ministers at the SAARC
ministerial meeting later that month. He noted that a "yes"
vote had been all that was needed to add China and Japan as
observers at the 2005 Dhaka summit. Chander explained that
member states would likely again vote on adding observers at
the next summit, which may not be held until the first
quarter of 2007. Chander mentioned that the SAARC charter
would not need to be amended to give observer status to China
and Japan or any others interested in observer status, but
would have to be amended to add Afghanistan as a new SAARC
member.
OBSERVER STATUS IS VOLUNTARY
--------------
2. (C) Chander explained that at this point observer status
was purely voluntary and that there were no plans for any
financial or legal obligations for observer states. He added
that any formal technical assistance or other cooperation
desired between an observer and a member state would have to
be worked out bilaterally. Chander outlined that while
procedures for observer states were evolving, he would expect
observers to be invited to inaugural sessions at annual
summits and perhaps to other organized meetings between
member states and observers on the margins of the summit. He
mentioned this was similar to the way the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) handled its observer states.
MORIARTY