SECRETARY CHERTOFF'S MEETINGS WITH SENIOR GOS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SINGAPORE 001044

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV EFIN KCRM SN
SUBJECT: SECRETARY CHERTOFF'S MEETINGS WITH SENIOR GOS
LEADERS



1. (SBU) Summary: During Secretary Michael Chertoff's March
29 meetings with senior GOS officials, he stressed the need
for closer law enforcement cooperation and a Mutual Legal
Assistance Treaty (MLAT). The Secretary noted that Singapore
and the United States had similar approaches to balance the
need for security with ensuring the efficient movement of
people and goods. More information sharing would improve our
understanding of the threats we faced. Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong stressed the importance of U.S. involvement in
Southeast Asia to keep other countries committed to fight
terrorism. Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong argued that only
moderate Muslims could win the long-term fight against
radical Islam. The Secretary discussed our success against
the leadership of al-Qa'ida, but noted that other terrorist
groups were capable of launching more smaller-scale attacks.
The Secretary told the GOS leaders that the President was
resolute that we would achieve a successful outcome in Iraq.
End Summary.


2. (SBU) Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael
Chertoff visited Singapore from March 28-30. Accompanied by
the Ambassador, he met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong,
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, and Deputy Prime Minister S.
Jayakumar on March 29. Adam Isles, Counselor to the
Secretary, Paul Fujimura, DHS Director for Asia/Pacific, and

SIPDIS
poloff (notetaker) also attended the meetings. Secretary
Chertoff's meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
for Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng are reported septel.

Law Enforcement Cooperation
--------------


3. (SBU) In his meetings with the senior GOS leadership, the
Secretary stressed the need for closer law enforcement

SIPDIS
cooperation and noted that a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty
(MLAT) would enable us to use information provided by
Singapore in court proceedings. PM Lee said Singapore wanted
to conclude an MLAT as well as a Double Taxation Agreement.
DPM Jayakumar was similarly positive, but noted Singapore did
not want an MLAT with the United States to set a precedent
for its neighbors in the region who might use an MLAT to
engage in "fishing expeditions." The Secretary said we were
interested in more tangible information sharing, such as
terrorist look-out information.


4. (SBU) At the same time, we wanted to enhance our
anti-money laundering cooperation, which would become even
more significant with Singapore's decision to license
casinos. It would be mutually beneficial to pool our
knowledge of suspicious transactions, the Secretary added.
DPM Jayakumar said Singapore worked closely with the
Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and would be introducing
legislation next month to tighten its money laundering
controls. When DPM Jayakumar asked about concerns with
Singapore's regulations, the Ambassador noted the strict bank
secrecy laws and said it was important for Singapore to adopt
a declaration system for cash couriers.

Risk Management
--------------


5. (U) The Secretary noted that Singapore and the United
States had similar approaches to balancing security with the
efficient movement of people and goods. Information and
technology were important to improve our ability to screen
what "we have to worry about." Information sharing with our
partners was also essential to understand the threats better.
The Secretary told PM Lee that a main focus of his trip to
Asia was container and port security. PM Lee said Singapore
had a vested interest in high standards for container
security. Asked if other countries in the region were
cooperating, the Secretary said that cooperation was good and
we were seeking ways to give shippers incentives to collect
more information, which would improve our ability to focus
our screening more effectively.

Radical Islam and the Terrorist Threat
--------------


SINGAPORE 00001044 002 OF 003



6. (SBU) Singapore wanted the United States to stay involved
in Southeast Asia, stressed PM Lee. It was the only country
with the strength and staying power to get other countries to
keep up the fight against terrorism. Singapore does not
hesitate to encourage the United States on CT because "it's
in our own self-interest," said PM Lee.


7. (SBU) In the long term, the battle against radical Islam
could be won only by moderate Muslims, argued SM Goh.
Religious leaders had to be encouraged to teach the correct
interpretation of the Koran. In Indonesia, Jemaah Islamiya
leader Abu Bakir Bashir indoctrinated many people who became
terrorists. We "must neuter these people." In the Middle
East, the democracy message was not well received, advised SM
Goh, since many of the region's leaders were not democratic.
It would be more effective to focus on economic development
and education. The Secretary responded that it was not easy
to implement democratic government, but democracy combined
with the rule of law helped create barriers to terrorism. SM
Goh urged the United States to reach out more to moderate
Muslims in the Middle East. The Secretary noted that the
Rice-Chertoff Initiative was an important element in our
effort to do that, in part by welcoming more students from
the Middle East to come to the United States.


8. (SBU) We have inflicted significant damage to the top
leadership of al-Qa'ida, but haven't completely eliminated
their operational abilities, noted the Secretary. Groups
affiliated or sympathetic to al-Qa'ida were also emerging.
The ability of al-Qa'ida and other groups to launch large
scale attacks has diminished, but we could see the
multiplication of smaller scale attacks, which posed a new
set of challenges, the Secretary observed. The USG was
concerned about the radicalization of Islam and the emergence
of "clear skin" terrorists who had no prior links to
terrorist organizations. This was more of a problem in
Europe than the United States, but would require a change in
our security practices, which were geared more toward known
terrorists.

After an Attack
--------------


9. (SBU) In the case of SARS or the terrorist threat, it was
important to tell the public the bad news beforehand and even
"exaggerate a bit" to prepare them for the worst, stated PM
Lee. Then, the government could focus the public's attention
on how to deal with the problem. In London, the initial
response by the authorities to the bombings last July was
very good, but racial tensions did emerge. The Prime
Minister said he was worried about the impact a terrorist
attack would have on Singapore's multi-racial and
multi-religious society and its 15 percent Muslim minority.
The GOS was encouraging the development of a network of
community leaders who could mitigate any religious or racial
strife and mistrust that would occur.

Iraq
--------------


10. (SBU) The GOS leaders expressed their support for U.S.
efforts in Iraq. The Secretary said the President was
resolute that we would achieve a successful outcome: a stable
and secure Iraq. The majority of people in Iraq wanted a
democratic and peaceful society despite the violent attacks
by a minority. If we fail, it would embolden terrorists.

Regional Developments
--------------


11. (SBU) Turning to the terrorist threat in Southeast Asia,
DPM Jayakumar said Singapore was confident of Malaysia's
ability to control the problem. Indonesia had been in denial
mode for several years, but was now moving in the right
direction. The GOI was politically committed to doing more
on CT, but madrassas were still "churning out more cohorts"
of terrorists. The GOS attributed the violence in southern
Thailand to local grievances against Bangkok. It was not a
jihadist problem, but if the situation continued to

SINGAPORE 00001044 003 OF 003


deteriorate, it could attract foreign elements, warned DPM
Jayakumar. The Philippines government was not strong and the
leadership was too wrapped up in its own problems to focus on
the terrorist threat.


12. (SBU) In Indonesia and Malaysia, a long-term trend toward
an Islamic state existed, warned SM Goh. Both societies were
becoming more religious and conservative. Another worrying
development was the injection of religion into the political
debate during the last general election in Malaysia. Asked
if religious radicals could intimidate the governments of
Singapore's neighbors, SM Goh said they would not succeed.
The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) was a secular force that
would not allow that and the Malaysian government was alert
to the activity of radicals.


13. (U) The Secretary's party has cleared this message.
HERBOLD