REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF LEAHY VETTING CHANGES

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 002095 SIPDIS FROM THE AMBASSADOR FOR A/S HILL NSC FOR PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM MAAR TH SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF LEAHY VETTING CHANGES REF: JAKARTA 1240 Classified By: Ambassador Eric G. John, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Embassy Bangkok strongly supports reftel request for high-level, inter-agency review of recent changes to the implementation of the Leahy Amendment. Recently proposed changes to the Leahy human rights vetting process pose a serious threat to USG security cooperation in Thailand. Post recommends inter-agency review before implementation of new policy. END SUMMARY. NEW INTERPRETATION OF LEAHY VETTING RULES? -------------- ¶2. (C) Post understands that the Leahy Amendment vetting procedures that we have been using were introduced based on a coordinated process in consultation with Senator Leahy's staff and the guidelines have worked for many years. There appear to be two changes to the vetting process that would: -- prohibit training of any member of a security force unit with past human rights violations even if the violation was committed long before the individual became a member of the unit, and -- require the vetting of every individual in a composite unit, rather than vetting the unit and unit commander as described in the Leahy Vetting Guide on the DRL website. IMPACT ON SECURITY COOPERATION IN THAILAND -------------- ¶3. (C) These changes would impact negatively our engagement with security forces here in Thailand. Expanding the requirements as described in paragraph two would increase our workload exponentially, overwhelm our staff, and lead to long delays that would inevitably preclude many training events. As such, the changes could damage our interests as the U.S. benefits greatly from engagement with Thai security forces. The U.S. military is permitted access to quality training opportunities and we receive excellent cooperation from RTG security forces on law enforcement issues. The application of the Leahy Amendment in this new way could have disastrous implications, in contravention of the intent of the Leahy Amendment legislation. ¶4. (C) Post recommends that the application of the Leahy Amendment return to established practice and fully supports Embassy Jakarta's request for high-level, inter-agency review of Leahy Amendment vetting requirements before the creation of new policy that could possibly damage U.S. interests here in Asia and elsewhere. JOHN