CAMBODIA ON BILATERAL SHIPBOARDING AGREEMENT

UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 000665 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, ISN/CPI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM KNNP KTIA PREL CB SUBJECT: CAMBODIA ON BILATERAL SHIPBOARDING AGREEMENT REF: STATE 57843 ¶1. (U) On May 10, A/DCM met with Yos Makana who is head of the Department of the Americas, as well as her deputy, Chhay Song Heng to discuss the shipboarding agreement and provide the draft talking points included in reftel. Makana was pleased to receive USG reassurances, but noted that following the earlier Embassy meeting with MFA Secretary of State Ouch Borith, the MFA had sent the draft agreement to the Ministries of Defense and Transport for comment. So far, the MFA has not had any response. Makana noted that she would provide both Ministries with the talking points as well as the list of other countries with which the USG has signed a bilateral shipboarding agreement. She asked that the USG give Cambodia an opportunity to more fully digest the draft agreement and identify potential areas where further clarification and discussion might be necessary. ¶2. (SBU) Comment. The RGC is not ready for a USG team visit at this stage. We suggest waiting a month before querying the MFA again, at which point we will try to identify officials within the relevant Ministries apart from the MFA with a stake in this initiative, and meet separately with them to try and move the RGC along. End Comment. MUSSOMELI