LAO MFA ON TIP REPORT FOR LAOS

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENTIANE 000512 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS, G/TIP E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREF PREL KTIP LA SUBJECT: LAO MFA ON TIP REPORT FOR LAOS REF: A. STATE 89276 ¶B. STATE 89018 ¶C. STATE 88195 Classified By: Ambassador Patricia M. Haslach, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Ambassador briefed MFA's Europe-Americas Department Director-General Southam Sakhonnhinhom today on the TIP report for Laos, conveying the talking points and Action Plan contained in refs A and B. ¶2. (C) Southam, who had already read the TIP Report for Laos and ref talking points we had submitted via diplomatic note yesterday, said his government was unhappy with the report, but acknowledged it was "our right" to say what we wanted. He noted, though, that other organizations and agencies interested in Laos' trafficking picture, including the UN, had generally praised the GoL for its anti-trafficking activities. ¶3. (C) Southam told us he welcomed further dialogue between the two governments on TIP, and said his ministry would gladly facilitate discussions between Embassy or the G/TIP office and the relevant ministries in order to seek ways to improve Laos' performance on anti-trafficking. He welcomed the upcoming visit of G/TIP Senior Coordinator Mark Taylor (ref C),and suggested the two sides might wish to use that occasion to organize a roundtable to discuss Laos' TIP-related activities and ways forward. ¶4. (C) Comment: We are pleased to see the MFA's receptivity to discussing the TIP action plan. As suggested by DG Southam, we intend to use the upcoming G/TIP visit to take the first steps toward implementing the Action Plan. End comment. HASLACH