A-A/S MULL DISCUSSES REGIONAL POL-MIL DEVELOPMENTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 002170 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2008 TAGS: PREL PARM MARR PHUM PGOV SN SUBJECT: A-A/S MULL DISCUSSES REGIONAL POL-MIL DEVELOPMENTS WITH MFA AND MINDEF REF: A. SINGAPORE 2085 ¶B. SINGAPORE 2150 Classified By: Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold for reasons 1.4(a)(b)(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: ASEAN is pushing forward with regional integration and becoming a more rules-based organization, MFA Permanent Secretary Peter Ho told Acting Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs Stephen Mull on December 3. Ho expressed optimism about Vietnam's rapidly growing economy and Cambodia's more modest economic strides. He noted China and India's increasing engagement in the region and with ASEAN in particular. In a separate meeting, Min Def Permanent Secretary Chiang Chie Foo expressed similar sentiments on ASEAN integration, emphasizing movement in the November ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meetings toward enhancing military cooperation within ASEAN and between ASEAN and its dialogue partners. Acting A/S Mull urged the GOS to further expand its support for efforts to advance strategic interests in the region, including Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Afghanistan. End Summary. Vietnam and Cambodia -------------- ¶2. (C) ASEAN is working hard to promote regional integration and become a more rules-based organization, MFA Permanent Secretary Peter Ho told PM Acting A/S Stephen Mull December SIPDIS ¶3. Southeast Asia is undergoing rapid changes that would have been "hard to imagine" fifteen years ago, he said, though there remains a big gap between the original and the newer members of ASEAN. Among the newer members, Vietnam has made enormous economic progress and is now the region's "rising star." Ho credited the "ambitious and hard-working" character of the Vietnamese people. Vietnam continues to attract the foreign direct investment (FDI) it needs to facilitate economic growth. Ho said Japan, concerned that too much of its overseas investment is going to China, is now trying to direct more investment to Vietnam, although it still lags behind Singapore, China, and South Korea. Corruption is still a problem in Vietnam, though the situation is slowly improving. ¶3. (C) Ho noted that in negotiating the ASEAN Charter (ref A),Burma had been "uncomfortable" with the inclusion of a human rights provision, but had ultimately gone along. While Burma's signing the Charter was a modest step, it would provide a standard with which to hold Burma accountable, he said. Vietnam and some other countries in the region continue to have human rights problems, though nowhere near as "egregious" as Burma's, he added. Ho said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is in firm control and is independent, though Chinese influence is visible in Cambodia and Cambodia would never "fully oppose" China's interests. Cambodia too is beginning to see rapid growth and increased foreign investment. ¶4. (C) A-A/S Mull told both Ho and Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Chiang Chie Foo of increasing U.S. defense ties with Vietnam and Cambodia. He mentioned our hope to establish regular military dialogues with both countries, which Perm Sec Chiang welcomed. Chiang briefed A-A/S Mull on developments at the second annual meeting of ASEAN Defense Ministers (ADMM) held on November 14 in Singapore. He said the ADMM hopes to increase cooperation and confidence building among ASEAN countries through joint military meetings and operations. The ministers also discussed expanding defense ties between ASEAN members and its dialogue partners. ASEAN's future is intertwined with the larger Asia-Pacific region, noted Chiang. The ADMM seeks to tap into the varied perspectives and resources of ASEAN's dialogue partners, including the United States, China, India, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea. The respective defense ministries of the ASEAN members hope to enhance their interoperability and regional effectiveness in dealing with disaster relief and other operations. China and India -------------- ¶5. (C) For the most part, ASEAN members are not concerned about China's military modernization, Ho told A-A/S Mull. China's society and economy are in a state of transition, and its leadership appears primarily focused on developing its economy and addressing domestic problems. At the same time, SINGAPORE 00002170 002 OF 002 China has employed a more sophisticated foreign policy, engaging with ASEAN and appearing to take a more flexible approach on potential regional flash points such as the Spratly Islands dispute. While there are lingering concerns in Vietnam and in some quarters in Indonesia, most of the region sees China as more open than ever, despite its lack of military transparency. China recognizes the need for the United States to be actively engaged in the region, he added. ¶6. (C) MFA Perm Sec Ho noted that India has also been more active in Southeast Asia in recent years, though it lags behind China. Ties between Singapore and India are excellent. He said Singapore was among the first to recognize India's resurgence, and that India appreciated Singapore's help on issues like promoting its membership in the East Asia Summit. India is expanded its military cooperation with Singapore and other countries in the region, he said. Maritime Security and GPOI -------------- ¶7. (C) A-A/S Mull expressed appreciation for Singapore's efforts on counterproliferation and its expanding efforts on port and maritime security. Singapore has been a strong partner with the United States on the Proliferation Security Initiative, the Container Security Initiative and other USG efforts. Ho expressed support for this cooperation but complained that USG efforts sometime seem too fragmented and would benefit from a more unified approach (ref B.) By the end of the year, Singapore will expand the number of items under its export control regime. Despite the additional administrative burdens this will impose, all relevant GOS agencies will work together to make Singapore's Strategic Goods Control Act effective, promised Ho. ¶8. (C) A-A/S Mull expressed appreciation for Singapore's support of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Afghanistan and asked that it continue and expand those efforts and other efforts to advance shared strategic interests. He also encouraged Singapore to continue participating in the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) and asked Chiang whether it would be interested in joining the Transport and Logistics Support Arrangement. PermSec Chiang assured Mull that Singapore will continue to do "its small part" in peacekeeping efforts. He agreed to review the Transport and Logistics Support Arrangement proposal, but said that Singapore has to carefully choose its international obligations, given its limited resources. Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm HERBOLD