ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL'S OCTOBER 25 MEETING WITH PACIFIC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SUVA 000459 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ETRD EAID FJ NZ XV SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL'S OCTOBER 25 MEETING WITH PACIFIC ISLAND LEADERS ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Pacific heads of government welcomed EAP Assistant Secretary Hill's participation in a Pacific Islands Forum special session with the U.S. in Fiji on October 25, 2006, as a sign of stepped-up U.S. engagement with the region. A/S Hill proposed to revitalize the Joint Commercial Commission by hosting a meeting in Washington in 2007 that would examine market access and other issues. He also undertook to explore the possible timing of a high-level meeting of island leaders with the U.S. and discussed in detail the leaders' interest in greater people-to-people exchanges, including an expanded Peace Corps presence in the region. Hill expressed USG appreciation for island leaders' support for Guatemala in the UNSC elections and highlighted the role Forum countries play in peace-keeping and stabilization operations, particularly in Iraq, Afghanistan, and East Timor. End Summary. ¶2. (U) EAP Assistant Secretary Christopher R. Hill met with Pacific island heads of government on October 25, 2006, in Nadi, Fiji, at the annual Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Meeting. The encounter was a unique "special session" for the United States with island leaders and took the place of the United States' traditional Post Forum Dialogue with ministers. ¶3. (SBU) Fiji Prime Minister Qarase chaired the special session. In his opening statement, he called this discussion with the U.S. "overdue" and said Forum members hope the special session would kick start discussion on the future of the United States' relationship with the Pacific. Recalling America's central place in the modern history of the Pacific, in particular World War II, Qarase said Pacific countries hold the U.S. in high esteem and share a commitment to strengthen relations. Qarase noted that, because of the U.S. Pacific territories, America's strong links to the Freely Associated States, U.S. participation in South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP) and the Pacific Community (SPC),and the large Pacific population living in the U.S., Pacific islanders are inclined to see America as not just a friend but also as a neighbor. Nevertheless, he said, it appears that the relationship could and should be stronger. (In a subsequent intervention, Tongan Prime Minister Sevele expressed this sentiment less diplomatically. To the embarrassment of his colleagues, he cited briefing papers the Forum Secretariat prepared for leaders that said the U.S. no longer sees the Pacific as a region of strategic significance and has scaled back its engagement accordingly.) Qarase noted that the Pacific Plan, which Forum leaders adopted last year to guide the region's development, calls for a reassessment of ties with external parties. Relative to some other partners, such as Japan, France, and China, he observed that the U.S. does not currently have a high-level consultation mechanism with Forum participants apart from the Post Forum Dialogue, which, he said, is not sufficient. -------------- -------------- Security (Maritime Security, Transnational Crime, and Peacekeeping): -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) A/S Hill thanked Forum leaders for arranging the special session, which, he said, highlights the important friendship the U.S. has with the nations of the Pacific. He emphasized that the United States remains deeply committed to the Pacific islands and is looking for opportunities to increase engagement with the region. A/S Hill said that the U.S. is eager to expand cooperation on maritime security and transnational crime and also values Pacific contributions to regional and international peacekeeping operations such as the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and Fiji's and Tonga's global deployments. Elaborating on these themes, he told the leaders that the U.S. Coast Guard is committed to providing training and other assistance to countries in the region to improve marine law enforcement, search and rescue, and fisheries enforcement and is interested in improving the interoperability of all our maritime law enforcement agencies. A/S Hill held up the at-sea gathering of Pacific patrol boats, planned for December, as an example of the Coast Guard's engagement with Pacific partners. He praised regional efforts to combat money laundering and announced a new U.S. contribution of 1.2 million dollars to the Pacific Anti-Money Laundering Program. A/S Hill said the U.S. is also interested in how the U.S. and other regional partners can help Pacific islands to further develop their strength in peacekeeping operations, with a focus on both military forces and SUVA 00000459 002 OF 005 stability police. ¶5. (SBU) Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Somare asked if the U.S. is prepared to assist with Pacific states' "surveillance needs," particularly the need to monitor criminal activities originating in Southeast Asia. EAP/ANP Director McGann replied that U.S. assistance is aimed at strengthening governance. New Zealand Prime Minister Clark acknowledged the importance of past U.S. support on implementation of money laundering and terrorist finance measures, and commented on the difficulty small states, even New Zealand, sometimes have in keeping up with the ever-rising standard. In response to a question from Ambassador Dinger, Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Urwin said that it is too early to know how SIPDIS effective U.S. assistance has been in countering money laundering, in part, because there is a lack of data on the extent of the problem. On peacekeeping, Urwin noted the existence of a regional policing initiative. He suggested that the U.S. consider linking peacekeeping capacity-building efforts to that initiative as one means of moving forward. -------------- Trade and Investment: -------------- ¶6. (SBU) A/S Hill told Forum members the U.S recognizes that increasing trade is an important priority for the region and that, keeping in mind WTO restrictions, he wanted to hear island leaders' thoughts on how we can enhance our commercial relations. A/S Hill said that USTR is prepared to work with the PIF's developing countries, either individually with representatives in Washington or at a future regional meeting to see how they can make use of our Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). He regretted that the question of how best to utilize the Joint Commercial Commission (JCC) was still on the table and encouraged Forum members to present concrete proposals for bilateral and multilateral activities. PM Clark suggested further capacity building for Pacific island states that were looking at joining the WTO. A/S Hill replied that the U.S. is absolutely prepared to assist in this area, either in Washington or in the region. ¶7. (SBU) SG Urwin remarked that the JCC is a matter of frustration for Forum members as well. Nevertheless, the fact that it already exists argues for trying to breathe life into it rather than trying to come up with something new. He said that Forum members are looking for assurance from the U.S. that we think it is worth the effort, suggesting that previous approaches in recent years had been met in a fairly negative way with the U.S. not giving any indication of how it wants to proceed. PM Qarase explained that economic growth is one of the pillars of the Pacific Plan and is essential for stability. He argued that the small domestic markets of Pacific island states cannot produce adequate growth, even with regional integration. Consequently, market access is key, yet the JCC has produced nothing substantial in this regard. ¶8. (SBU) A/S Hill responded that "since the JCC is the horse we've got, we need to see if we can put a saddle on it." He proposed convening a JCC meeting in Washington next year. This meeting could include WTO accession and GSP qualifications among other issues, and could tap expertise at the World Bank and other international institutions in Washington. He offered to work with the Chair to develop additional ideas. Ambassador Dinger recalled that, in the late 90s, the U.S. and the Forum organized a workshop under the JCC on phytosanitary restrictions that participants found useful. He suggested that, if there are other such practical issues of concern, the JCC could be used to address them. McGann suggested labor mobility as a possible additional topic, particularly mobility between Pacific islands, but including access to the U.S. labor market, since Los Angeles is now, along with Sydney and Auckland one of the biggest "Pacific" cities. Tonga's PM Sevele cited the PRC's practice of facilitating finance for joint ventures throughout the Pacific, which, he suggested, is an effective means of strengthening economic ties, but is also an example of China's growing influence. He said China is coming on strong, and the U.S. should be re-assessing its assistance to the Pacific in response. A/S Hill replied that Sevele's observation on joint ventures highlights the need to include a private sector component to our discussions but said that we should not base decisions on the future of U.S.-Pacific SUVA 00000459 003 OF 005 cooperation on what China is doing in the region. PNG PM Somare suggested adding transport issues, particularly shipping, to the agenda. -------------- Millennium Challenge Account: -------------- ¶9. (SBU) A/S Hill commented on a high degree of interest in the region in the Millennium Challenge Account, noting that one country, Vanuatu, has already benefited. He told leaders that he would travel to Vanuatu right after the Forum to review the MCC program. He also noted that the MCC is about to send a team to the region to examine the issue of how best to engage Pacific islands states, given their small size and the limited staffing of the MCC itself. -------------- People-to-People Contact: -------------- ¶10. (U) A/S Hill recalled his own experience as a Peace Corps volunteer, and expressed his belief in the importance of people-to-people exchanges. He told participants of the planned deployment of a new regional public diplomacy officer to Embassy Suva. This officer, he said, would have as part of his or her mission the job of expanding these sorts of exchanges throughout the Pacific. A/S Hill also highlighted the recent creation of a new Regional Environment Hub for the Pacific, which will expand the U.S. ability to engage with island governments on environment, science and technology issues. PM Qarase "gratefully acknowledged" that many countries in the region receive Peace Corps volunteers but lamented a lack of exchange opportunities at the political level. He encouraged more high-level visitors, particularly members of Congress, to visit the Pacific. He noted that Fiji is fortunate to have a U.S. embassy that helps to keep lines of communication open but said many other Pacific countries do not have this avenue open to them. A/S Hill said he shares the PM's view on the importance of high-level contacts in addition to more grass-roots exchanges, and he acknowledged the disadvantages of the limited U.S. diplomatic representation in the region. He reiterated though that the new environmental and public diplomacy hub positions are intended to help respond. ¶11. (SBU) PM Clark observed that only seven Forum members have Peace Corps missions and inquired about prospects for expansion. A/S Hill replied that Peace Corps has felt very much at home in the Pacific. He highlighted the importance the agency attaches to the security of volunteers in considering any new program, or continuing an established one. Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa asked if there is some way Peace Corps could send more retired professionals who could assist in capacity building. A/S Hill said that, while there a number of older volunteers, it is a fact that most of those who join the Peace Corps are young. He told the PM that there are other programs specifically geared to retired professionals and that he would look into those for him. President Scotty of Nauru complained that his country is one of the safest in the world but has still been unable have a Peace Corps presence. Ambassador Dinger reviewed his work with Nauru and Tuvalu on their applications for a Peace Corps presence. Peace Corps, he said, acknowledges that both countries would benefit from a Peace Corps presence, but resources are limited. A/S Hill promised to provide President Scotty with a letter providing a detailed answer to his request for a Peace Corps presence in his country. -------------- -------------- Regional Developments and the Future of U.S.-Pacific Dialog: -------------- -------------- ¶12. (U) Noting that this is the end of the first year of implementation of the Pacific Plan, SG Urwin said the region has made a 'respectable start" on a number of initiatives and has set up processes to achieve the Plan's objectives. The task now, he said, is to translate regional processes into national programs. Urwin said he is encouraged by the extent to which the Pacific Plan is being used by donors and other development partners as a guide for their engagement in the region. He encouraged the U.S. to keep the SUVA 00000459 004 OF 005 Pacific Plan in mind as it considered its own activities, since the Plan is a statement of the region's priorities. A/S Hill said that the U.S. is pleased with the Plan as adopted. It "dovetails with our own priorities in the region." ¶13. (SBU) Fiji's Foreign Minister Tavola described the Forum Experts' Group proposal to revise regional architecture as an effort to address the overlapping mandates of the Pacific regional organizations, to remedy the disconnect that exists between these organizations and national capitals, to realize cost savings and efficiency gains, and to improve the delivery of services. He reported that Forum leaders have agreed to establish a task force to further examine the issue and that the timeline for any restructuring of regional organizations has been left open. A/S Hill responded that the U.S. greatly values its participation in the two regional organizations to which it belongs (SPREP and the SPC). He said he wholeheartedly agrees with the underlying thrust of the reform proposals and supports the spirit of the effort. A/S Hill cautioned, however, that the U.S. has questions about practical, legal, and financial aspects of some of the changes that are being considered. ¶14. (U) SG Urwin commented on the planned restructuring of the Post Forum Dialogue, explaining that, for a sixteen-member organization, having separate dialogs with thirteen partners has become unwieldy. Consequently, leaders plan to implement a proposal to abolish the current structure of the Dialogue and move instead to an all-plenary format where Dialogue partners meet with Forum members in a single one-day event. Urwin said that, in addition, Forum members already have established regular leader-level meetings with Japan, France, the EU, and China. (Note: in subsequent conversations, EU representatives said they are still trying to figure out a way to make periodic high-level dialog feasible.) The U.S. is the other major partner, so the question is, what sort of a regime do we want to establish? ¶15. (SBU) A/S Hill said he welcomed the Forum initiative to hold the special session with the U.S. He noted that the meeting with Pacific leaders in New York on the margins of UNGA is now established as an annual event, but he lamented that there is always so much going on during the UNGA that it is difficult to fully focus on the islands' issues. (McGann took the opportunity to assure Forum members that the U.S. is not opposed to the expansion of U.N. offices in the Pacific, which was a concern that some of them had expressed in New York in September.) ¶16. (SBU) Samoa's Tuilaepa commented that the proposed Washington JCC meeting could be a significant event for leaders and emphasized the need to know the timing. Tonga's Sevele was less subtle. He asked that the proposed Washington event include a meeting with the President and that the U.S. commit to regular leaders' meetings, perhaps at the mid-term point every four years. Sevele said that the U.S. has been a protector and friend to the countries in the region for decades and is a welcome presence. Nevertheless, in recent memory, there have been only two meetings between Pacific leaders and a U.S. President. In addition to the leaders' meeting, he advocated formation of a U.S.-Pacific standing committee that would meet annually. Sevele emphasized that strengthened engagement with the U.S. is important to the security and well-being of the Pacific. ¶17. (SBU) A/S Hill welcomed the leaders' enthusiasm for strengthening ties. He promised to report back to the Forum Secretariat on U.S. steps to follow-up on the special session, SIPDIS including providing a timeframe for a possible USG high-level meeting with island leaders. ¶18. (SBU) At the conclusion of the meeting, A/S Hill provided the leaders with a briefing on the North Korean nuclear issue. Leaders showed a keen interest in A/S Hill's presentation and seemed receptive to his message that the U.S. stands by its allies in the region in the face of the nuclear threat posed by the North and that the issue needs to be resolved diplomatically and on a multilateral basis. -------------- Comment: SUVA 00000459 005 OF 005 -------------- ¶19. (SBU) Forum leaders, Secretary General Urwin, and other officials described the PIF special session with A/S Hill as extremely valuable. The leaders took particular note of A/S Hill's willingness to revive the JCC concept through a Washington meeting in 2007 and his promise to explore scheduling possibilities for a Pacific leaders' high-level meeting with the U.S. in the coming year. Island leaders strongly share the U.S. interest in our expanding regional engagement, and this special session was a significant step down that road. End Comment. ¶20. (U) EAP/ANP director McGann cleared this message. DINGER