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

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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.


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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

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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