Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KUALALUMPUR719
2007-04-20 08:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:  

MALAYSIA COMMENTS ON U.S.-ASEAN RELATIONS AND TAC

Tags:  PREL ASEAN MY 
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VZCZCXRO1667
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHKL #0719/01 1100851
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 200851Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9016
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2328
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000719 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EAP, EAP/RSP, EAP/MTS AND EAP/MLS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2012
TAGS: PREL ASEAN MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA COMMENTS ON U.S.-ASEAN RELATIONS AND TAC

Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b
and d).

Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000719

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EAP, EAP/RSP, EAP/MTS AND EAP/MLS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2012
TAGS: PREL ASEAN MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA COMMENTS ON U.S.-ASEAN RELATIONS AND TAC

Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b
and d).

Summary
--------------


1. (C) In a discussion of U.S.-ASEAN relations, Malaysia's
senior diplomat charged with ASEAN affairs said he believed
U.S. accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC)
would be warmly welcomed by ASEAN members, signal increased
U.S. attention to the region, and boost the U.S.-ASEAN
dialogue. The diplomat said member states continued
intensive work on the ASEAN Charter, which was on track for
completion in time for the ASEAN Summit in November. End
Summary.

ASEAN Would "Warmly Welcome" Accession
--------------


2. (C) During an April 19 meeting to discuss U.S.-ASEAN
relations and the status of the ASEAN charter, polchief asked
Malaysian Foreign Ministry Director General for ASEAN Hussein
Haniff for his perspectives on the TAC and the question of
U.S. accession. Polchief stated that his question did not
reflect Washington instructions and did not imply any
particular U.S. position. Hussein replied that Malaysia and
all other ASEAN members would "warmly welcome" an
announcement of U.S. intention to accede, if one were made.
Such an announcement would provide a strong signal of U.S.
attention to Southeast Asia and would be highly symbolic if
it occurred this year during the 30th anniversary of
U.S.-ASEAN relations. Were the U.S. to announce such an
intention, Hussein did not anticipate any delay in obtaining
the support of all ASEAN members needed to extend an ASEAN
letter of invitation to accede to the TAC. Hussein said
ASEAN intended to raise the issue of the TAC during the
U.S.-ASEAN senior dialogue in June.


3. (C) Polchief described the U.S. Senate's advice and
consent role in treaty ratification, noting that the
ratification process took a long time in many cases. Hussein
said that ASEAN members would understand that treaty
processes would differ among individual countries and would
accept a delay in ratification based on constitutional
requirements. A U.S. decision to accede still would convey a
serious political commitment pending ratification.


4. (C) ASEAN would not encourage but likely would accept a
side letter conveying U.S. interpretations of specific
clauses in the TAC, as had been done in the case of
Australia. Hussein explained that the wording of a side
letter would need to be negotiated and accepted by all ASEAN
members as part of the process of agreeing to extend an
invitation to the U.S. to accede.

Would Bring U.S. in Line with Other Partners
--------------


5. (C) Polchief asked about the practical effect of U.S.
accession. Hussein said accession would enhance ASEAN
dialogue with the United States. At this point, the U.S.,
along with Canada, stood out as the only ASEAN dialogue
partners not to have signed on to the TAC. Hussein commented
that after 30 years U.S.-ASEAN relations could be stronger.
Following only 15 years of relations, China's partnership
with ASEAN was on par with that of the United States, with
China focusing heavily on economic initiatives. U.S.
accession to the TAC also would clear the way for joining the
EAS, if the U.S. desired to do so at some future point.


6. (C) Hussein stated that ASEAN supported EU accession to
the treaty and the two sides were working out a modality for
this, given that the TAC did not have procedures for
accession by a regional grouping. In the meantime, France
had acceded to the TAC, and the UK and Germany were actively
considering such a step.


7. (C) Hussein asked after the prospects for the U.S. naming
an ambassador to ASEAN, commenting that the creation of such
a position also would boost U.S.-ASEAN relations. Polchief
said he would convey this sentiment to the Department.

Intensive Work on ASEAN Charter
--------------


8. (C) ASEAN members were working intensively on the
charter, Hussein said. Drafters held to a pace of one
meeting every two weeks, addressing the easier,
uncontroversial articles first. Matters concerning a future

KUALA LUMP 00000719 002 OF 002


ASEAN Union and the practicalities of vote-based versus
consensus decision making represented two of the more
difficult unresolved issues. Hussein thought that the
drafters would meet their deadline of presenting the text to
the ASEAN summit in November.

Comment
--------------


9. (C) Malaysia's lead official for ASEAN matters was
unambiguously positive in his view of the symbolic boost to
U.S.-ASEAN relations that would result from a U.S. move to
accede to the TAC. Hussein emphasized that U.S.
non-accession increasingly seemed out of step with other
ASEAN partners.
LAFLEUR