PRESSING THE LAO FOR UNIVERSAL ADOPTION OF THE

UNCLAS VIENTIANE 000602 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MLS (BESTIC); DEPT FOR ISN; DEPT FOR L; DEPT FOR S/CT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNNP LA MCAP PARM PINR PINS PREL PTER SUBJECT: PRESSING THE LAO FOR UNIVERSAL ADOPTION OF THE NATIONAL TERRORISM CONVENTION REF: SECSTATE 102149 ¶1. (SBU) Charge and A/DCM met with Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, Acting Director General, Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA),to deliver referenced demarche on July 25, 2007. Saleumxay said the issue of nuclear terrorism is new for the Government of Laos (GOL),and Laos has no industrial base for nuclear products. Still the GOL attaches importance to nuclear non-proliferation, an important issue in today's world as attested to by President Bush's recent global initiative on nucler non-proliferation. Saleumxay noted he had attended a seminar in Australia in May on this global initiative and remembered the presentation by a State Department official on the initiative which helped explain how it would work. ¶2. (SBU) According to Saleumxay, the GOL has not yet signed on to the Convention, but MFA's Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs is reviewing it. Currently they are studying how their national legislation corresponds to the Convention, wanting to ensure their national legislation is in conformity or wanting to be prepared to bring it into conformity before signing the Convention. Saleumxay noted it is very difficult for GOL officials to understand many of the technical issues involved, but he affirmed that, in principle, the GOL supports nuclear non-proliferaiton. This is a very specific Convention, and the GOL needs to carefully study how to be a responsible party. ¶3. (SBU) Saleumxay said that this is the thirteenth terrorism-related convention that the GOL has considered. Laos is already party to five, and seven others have been put forward to the National Assembly (NA) for approval. Saleumxay noted the NA's relatively limited capacity to deal with the many issues awaiting consideration because of its relatively small staff. He added that he has been summoned to the NA several times to meet with the NA Legal Committee to explain various issues awaiting NA approval including the GOL's accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention. According to Saleumxay, "once they understand the issue, they agree." He opined the NA would be ready to deal with the seven conventions in the near future, and he told the Charge and A/DCM that the Foreign Minister has asked Treaty and Legal Affairs to follow up with the NA on them. HUSO