DAS MARCIEL DISCUSSES ASEAN, BURMA AND BORDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 002837 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR KDEM PREF TH SUBJECT: DAS MARCIEL DISCUSSES ASEAN, BURMA AND BORDER ISSUES IN MEETINGS WITH THAI MFA AND SURIN REF: BANGKOK 2487 BANGKOK 00002837 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: Ambassador Eric G. John, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Thai MFA Permanent Secretary Virasakdi Futrakul told visiting EAP DAS Scot Marciel and the Ambassador September 9 that the RTG viewed recent Cambodian border actions as contradictory to progress achieved during recent discussions by the two nations' Foreign Ministers. Virasakdi said that the RTG was actively planning for the December ASEAN Summit and hoped that the ASEAN Charter would be ratified by all member nations by the end of 2008. In a separate meeting, ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan laid out goals for further ASEAN economic integration and improvements in the effectiveness of the ASEAN Secretariat. DAS Marciel pressed Virasakdi for international monitoring of the Hmong resettlement process in order that legitimate safety concerns of the refugees could be addressed. End Summary. THAI-CAMBODIAN BORDER REMAINS CONTENTIOUS -------------- ¶2. (C) MFA Permanent Secretary Virasakdi Futrakul told EAP DAS Scot Marciel and the Ambassador September 9 that significant progress had been made in resolving the Thai-Cambodian border conflict. Virasakdi expressed optimism that the Joint Border Committee would assist in furthering progress on disputed areas at Preah Vihear and Ta Muen temples (reftel). Thai Parliament approval was needed before proceeding, however. Virasakdi expressed frustration that, despite progress, the Cambodian government had recently sent seventy troops to occupy the Ta Krabey temple (Ta Kwai in Thai),which is approximately fifteen kilometers from Ta Moan. Cambodian actions were an attempt to take advantage of the political conflict in Bangkok, Virasakdi asserted. The RTG would resist a Cambodian attempt to take the border dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) based on the precedent of using colonial maps drawn by the French. Taking the case to the ICJ would poison the Thai-Cambodian relationship; if this occurred, no Thai government would be able to agree with Cambodia regarding overlapping oil claims in the Gulf of Thailand. Virasakdi said the RTG would look to the U.S. for support if the Cambodian government took the issue to the UN Security Council. DAS Marciel explained that the USG hoped that Thailand and Cambodia would resolve the issue peacefully and bilaterally. THAI GOALS FOR ASEAN -------------- ¶3. (C) Virasakdi said that the RTG was busy preparing for the December ASEAN Summit; the Summit would be followed by the ASEAN plus 3 meeting and the East Asia Summit. Virasakdi said the RTG hoped to organize an ASEAN-United Nations Summit and had invited World Bank President Robert Zoellick to attend as well. Virasakdi hoped that the leaders of the seven ASEAN countries that are APEC members (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) would be able to meet with President Bush at the APEC meeting in Peru this November. Virasakdi also expressed hope that a U.S.-ASEAN Science and Technology Agreement could be signed at APEC. ¶4. (C) Virasakdi told DAS Marciel that while Indonesia and the Philippines had yet to ratify the ASEAN Charter, he was optimistic that the Indonesian government would ratify the Charter soon. (Note. The Thai Parliament on September 16 passed the final implementing legislation necessary to deposit its ratification of the Charter with the Secretariat. End note.) Virasakdi acknowledged doubts that the Philippines would ratify the Charter before the end of the year, but said ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan was actively lobbying the Philippine Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Virasakdi joked that his workload would be easier if the Charter were not ratified, because Vietnam would then take over as chair for ASEAN from Thailand in July 2009 rather than at the end of 2009. BANGKOK 00002837 002.2 OF 003 ¶5. (C) DAS Marciel asked Virasakdi about RTG goals as ASEAN chair. The RTG's primary hopes were to finalize ASEAN blueprints for political-security and social issues, Virasakdi said. Forging consensus on a ASEAN human rights body was also a goal, Virasakdi said, but there currently was disagreement on the terms of reference for the organization. (Note: In a separate meeting, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Assistant Group Editor of the Nation Multimedia Group, told DAS Marciel that the Vietnamese government had resisted granting power to the ASEAN human rights body. End note.) ¶6. (C) Virasakdi said that Sec-Gen Surin would soon propose a restructured ASEAN Secretariat, one that Surin hoped would be more effective and proactive. The proposed restructured organization would require an increased budget, and ASEAN member countries would meet soon in Hanoi to discuss member contributions. After the APEC meeting in November, ASEAN foreign ministers would meet with MERCOSUR counterparts to explore cooperation between the two bodies. ASEAN could also cooperate with ASEAN Regional Forum nations to develop a Standard Operating Plan for disaster management. RESETTLEMENT OF HMONG UNRESOLVED -------------- ¶7. (C) DAS Marciel pressed Virasakdi for international monitoring of the resettlement process for Hmong refugees from Thailand. Virasakdi said the RTG was trying to convince the Lao government to accept a role for the International Organization of Migration in resettling the Hmong, but the Lao government had refused to agree to third party involvement. Laos may consider third country resettlement but had set conditions that had halted progress. Foreign governments would have to negotiate agreements directly with the Lao government, and the Hmong would have to return to Laos to be issued Lao passports in advance of departing to a third country. DAS Marciel stressed the importance of transparency in the resettlement process in order to address safety concerns of the Hmong. Virasakdi suggested that the USG engage the Lao Permanent Representative in Geneva, as he had previously been the official primarily responsible for the Hmong issue. BURMESE POLITICAL SITUATION -------------- ¶8. (C) DAS Marciel stressed to Virasakdi that the international community must continue to pressure the Burmese regime for real political progress in advance of the 2010 elections. Considering the Burmese regime's actions during the constitutional referendum, the USG considered prospects for fair elections negligible. Virasakdi said there were two viewpoints on the coming elections: one side believed that an election would be better than nothing, while others agreed that the elections would not be fair. DAS Marciel told Virasakdi that the USG would continue to press the Burmese regime to allow all Burmese a voice in determining their government. SURIN PRESSING FOR CHANGE IN ASEAN -------------- ¶9. (C) In a separate meeting, ASEAN Secretary-General Surin told DAS Marciel that his priority for ASEAN was furthering economic integration. Surin said he was working with ASEAN Foreign Ministers to try to provide for more flexibility for the ASEAN Secretariat. This would allow the Secretariat to interact more effectively with the public, civil society, and the business sector in ASEAN nations. Surin would continue to press ASEAN leaders to expand dialogue at the East Asian Summit in December to include discussions on food and energy security and climate change. ¶10. (C) DAS Marciel suggested that ASEAN better incorporate the business community into ASEAN affairs. Surin agreed that this was an area that needed attention and cited the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council as a good example. Surin said the Japanese were trying to organize a ASEAN Chamber of Commerce; the ASEAN Secretariat would promote intra-ASEAN BANGKOK 00002837 003.2 OF 003 investment and trade registration. ¶11. (C) Surin said ASEAN would continue efforts to help Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Burma bridge the development gap with richer ASEAN nations. DAS Marciel cited U.S. assistance to prepare Laos for possible WTO accession as an example of sound economic development policy. Surin agreed that ASEAN's less-developed nations must follow good economic policies, as ASEAN would not be able to rely on richer member countries such as Singapore and Brunei for assistance. Surin said that rational development strategy must work with existing regional architectures, such as the Mekong River Commission, the Initiative for ASEAN Integration, and other organizations. Considering the global food situation, Surin said that developing the Irrawaddy Delta region into a new "rice bowl" would benefit the Burmese people and possibly assist political change. DAS Marciel suggested that Vietnam could possibly be utilized by ASEAN as a model for implementing agricultural reforms. ¶12. (C) DAS Marciel stressed to Surin that continued engagement with the Burmese regime would need to be predicated on the regime taking positive political steps. Surin said that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon may try to visit Burma in conjunction with the December ASEAN Summit and that UN Under-Secretary for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe was trying to lay the groundwork for a positive visit. ¶13. (U) DAS Marciel has cleared this cable. JOHN