TORRES STRAIT DEMARCHE DELIVERED

UNCLAS SINGAPORE 001935 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EWWT PBTS PHSA PREL SENV SUBJECT: TORRES STRAIT DEMARCHE DELIVERED REF: STATE 90707 ¶1. This is an action request. See paragraph 3. ¶2. Econoff delivered reftel note and talking points on June 7 to Florence Lim, Ministry of Transport (MOT) Sea Transport Division Assistant Director, and Benjamin Wong, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore International Department (Policy Division) Manager. Lim said that Singapore was concerned about Australia's intent to impose a compulsory pilotage scheme in the Torres Strait and that MOT was already working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to prepare a response to the recently published Marine Notice. Singapore's International Maritime Organization (IMO) representative was informally seeking other countries' views, Lim noted. She suggested that working through the IMO to address this issue might prove useful. ¶3. Action request: Lim and Wong would appreciate answers to the following questions: 1) has the Government of Australia responded to our diplomatic note; and 2) are we aware of any other countries that plan to take action because of this issue? ¶4. Econ/Pol Counselor also delivered a copy of the note and talking points in a June 6 meeting with Syed Noureddin, MFA United Nations and Legal Issues Branch Deputy Director. STANTON