UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 001207

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/RSP AND EAP/MTS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PARM ARF XB MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA AND ARF PROPOSAL FOR ISM ON
NONPROLIFERATION

REF: STATE 101525


1. (U) We conveyed copies of third version of the draft
proposal for the ARF ISM on nonproliferation to Malaysian
Foreign Ministry officials responsible for ARF issues,
Rosmeyuddin bin Baharudin and Zulkifli Adnan, but these
officials were not available for discussion before they
departed for the Philippines on July 25. After listening to
our points on U.S. objections to broadening the scope of the
ISM to include disarmament, other officials in the MFA's
ASEAN office were unwilling to comment on the issue.


2. (SBU) Comment: Malaysia is a strong supporter of linking
nonproliferation and nuclear disarmament, and makes this
linkage a consistent theme in its foreign policy
pronouncements. This was a highlight in Malaysia's statement
before the May NPT prepcom in Vienna: "Malaysia
believes...that whilst much emphasis and effort has been
expended towards achieving the goals of the non-proliferation
pillar of the Treaty, it appears as if the objectives of the
disarmament pillar of the Treaty have not been pursued with a
corresponding urgency...." Arguments that disarmament is
better discussed in more appropriate existing fora, like the
NPT meetings, may offer some traction with Malaysia, as it is
a member of the most relevant disarmament bodies.
LAFLEUR