THAI MFA DG ON THE THAI ASEAN CHAIRMANSHIP,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 002621

SIPDIS

EAP FOR SCOT MARCIEL, RSP, MLS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEAN TH
SUBJECT: THAI MFA DG ON THE THAI ASEAN CHAIRMANSHIP,
RATIFYING THE CHARTER

REF: BANGKOK 2461

Classified By: DCM James F. Entwistle, reasons 1.4 (b, d)


1. (SBU) Summary: Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
Department of ASEAN Affairs Director General Vitavas Srivihok
shared his views on the Thai chairmanship of ASEAN and
prospects for Thai ratification of the Charter August 29.
Vitavas expected Thailand would pass necessary implementation
and notify the Secretariat of Thai ratification by the end of
September and that the Charter would be approved by all ASEAN
members by the end of 2008. Vitavas discussed Thailand's
three primary objectives as the "Three Rs": realization of
the Charter; revitalizing ASEAN as a people centered
organization; and reinforcing human security. The MFA had
four internal benchmarks for success as the ASEAN Chair:
meaningful engagement of Burma as an ASEAN member;
advancement of human rights mechanisms; ASEAN branding and
education; and promotion of civil society's role in ASEAN.
Vitavas said the Thai MFA had a good working relationship
with ASEAN SecGen Surin Pitsuwan, who served as Thai FM from
1997-2001, and supported his reform agenda. End Summary.

Ratifying the Charter
--------------

2. (SBU) Thailand was in the final stages of approving the
ASEAN Charter, DG Vitavas told us August 29. The House and
Senate had actually already approved the Charter; what
remained was passage of implementing legislation affecting
privileges and immunities. Vitavas said the MFA had been
engaging a Parliamentary committee on a weekly basis to
discuss the six articles which required enabling legislation
prior to ratification. Following Parliamentary committee
actions and approval, the legislation would be reviewed by
the Senate before being returned to the Parliament for
publication in the Parliamentary Gazette and formal
notification to the Secretariat in Jakarta. Given progress
made to date, Vitavas expected the process would be completed
by the end of September.

Thai vision as ASEAN Chair
--------------

3. (SBU) Vitavas described Thailand's "Three Rs" strategy for
its chairmanship during ASEAN's transition period. The first
"R" stood for successful realization and implementation of
the new ASEAN Charter. A key component would be completion
of a final draft proposal on human rights issues by mid 2009,
with an aim of instituting the new human rights mechanism at
the ASEAN summit in November or December 2009. The second
"R" stood for revitalizing ASEAN as a people-centered
organization. Vitavas said he wanted to encourage greater
understanding of ASEAN; this would include efforts to brand
ASEAN as an organization responsive to the needs of its
people and focused on community building. The third "R"
stood for reinforcing human security; Vitavas noted
particular focus on energy, food, and support mechanisms for
natural disasters. (Note: When Singapore took over ASEAN
Chairmanship in 2007, it identified three key areas of work
as the 3-C's: the Charter; community-building; and common
challenges.)


4. (SBU) In addition to the overarching 3-R's strategy,
Vitavas indicated that Thailand had four internal success
benchmarks for its ASEAN chairmanship: meaningful engagement
of Burma as an ASEAN member; advancement of human rights
mechanisms; ASEAN branding and education; and effective
promotion civil society, to include encouragement of open and
active ASEAN participation.

The Burma challenge
--------------

5. (C) In noting Burma's expeditious ratification of the
amended ASEAN charter, Vitavas commented that Burma was of
the mid-set to adopt the Charter first and take action later.
Vitavas said he had been trying to convince his Burmese
colleagues in the ASEAN Director Generals' group that Thai
chairmanship of ASEAN was a golden opportunity for Burma to
initiate changes. Vitavas advised that Thailand supported
transparency and democratic reform in Burma and was prepared
to assist Burma in such efforts in whatever way Burma
desired. Vitavas commented that Burma typically relied on
quiet back-door diplomacy to effect change.


6. (C) Acknowledging differences in the U.S. and Thai
approaches after we reiterated the U.S. policy perspective on
fostering democratic change in Burma, Vitavas discussed how
Thailand as a neighboring country preferred to take a less
confrontational approach to engaging Burma rather than rely
on sanctions. Vitavas said that the Burmese had told the

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Thais to expect positive news on Burma's democratic progress
by October 2009. While acknowledging that such past promises
were never realized, Vitavas distinguished this pledge as
being delivered privately to Thailand rather than publicly
through the media. We warned Vitavas that ASEAN's
credibility and ability to move forward with ambitious plans
to promote political and economic integration would be
severely hampered by Burma's reluctance to meet not just the
demands of the international community at large, but even the
expectations of the other ASEAN countries.

Upgrading the Secretariat, engaging a Thai SecGen
-------------- --------------

7. (C) Vitavas advised that Thailand was still working to
identify an ambassador to appoint to ASEAN by the deadline of
January 2, 2009 and to address budgetary issues associated
with ASEAN. Notwithstanding ASEAN Secretary-General Surin
Pitsuwan's affiliation with the opposition Democrat Party in
Thailand, Vitavas said that there was good coordination and
communication between Thai diplomats and former FM Surin on
ASEAN issues, and that the Thai goals as chair largely mirror
Surin's agenda for ASEAN that he has nurtured since serving
as FM from 1997-2001.


8. (SBU) Vitavas agreed that the Charter had empowered a
larger role for Surin as ASEAN chief. Surin was actively
reconstructing the ASEAN Secretariat, having secured approval
to expand the current two deputy SecGen slots provided by
member states to four, with the additional pair coming from
outside. Vitavas said Thailand hoped to implement some of
the proposed structural changes to ASEAN, to include
incorporation of a new administrative group and two new
Deputy Secretary-Generals, by mid January 2009.


9. (SBU) Vitavas was also optimistic about the potential for
approval of proposals generated by two working groups
Thailand had chaired: on the establishment of an ASEAN human
rights body and legal dispute mechanisms; and for approval of
blue-print road maps established for ASEAN economic,
political-security, and socio-cultural communities at the
14th ASEAN Summit to be held in Bangkok in December 2008.
This measures would usher in a new era for ASEAN, contended
Vitavas.
JOHN