DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UPCOMING U.S. INITIATIVES AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 000408

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DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/RSP BLAIR HALL, S/CT DARCY ANDERSON,
EAP/RSP KEVIN SHEIVES

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER ARF TH
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UPCOMING U.S. INITIATIVES AND
ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM (ARF)

REF: STATE 08005

BANGKOK 00000408 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Political Officer Lisa Kaleczyc, reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Thailand shares the United States' interest
in enhancing the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Secretariat and
the need to more clearly define the mandate and focus of ARF,
according to a key officer in the Thai MFA. Thailand seeks
U.S. consideration and support for having the ASEAN Secretary
General become a member of the ARF Secretariat for the
Secretary General's five year term to provide institutional

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knowledge and support for ARF initiatives. Thailand supports
the U.S. proposal for an ARF Counterterrorism and
Transnational Crime (CTTC) Workplan in principle, but noted
the importance of "cultural and civilization" approaches to
address counterterrorism issues, as a dual-pronged strategy.
End Summary.


2. (C) Having previously provided the Thai Ministry of
Foreign Affairs International Organizations Department with a
copy of U.S. comments on Singapore's draft "Review of the
ARF" paper and draft ARF CTTC Workplan with accompanying
non-paper, we called on First Secretary of the ASEAN Affairs
Department, Jitvipa Benjasil, and junior colleague Piyapathu
Ruktanonchai on February 7 and made the points in reftel.
Piyapathu will attend the February 21-22 Inter-Sessional
Meeting on CTTC in Indonesia with the Thai Foreign Ministry
Deputy Director General and two other Ministry officials.
(Despite Jitvipa's First Secretary rank, our impression from
this meeting is that she has influence over the MFA's
position on this matter.)


3. (C) With regards to Singapore's draft "Review of the ARF"
and related comments by the United States, Jitvipa commented
that an in-depth review of the ARF was necessary and
appropriate, albeit difficult and time-consuming. Thailand
agreed with the U.S. position that there was a need to more
clearly define the mandate, purpose, and focus of the ARF,
but noted the challenges of creating a vision statement
acceptable to all ARF members. Jitvipa claimed that Thailand
had not yet made a decision on the issue of delinking the
ASEAN and ARF Chair positions, but agreed that the division
of labor would allow the ARF Chair the ability to focus on
ARF specific activity. Jitvipa advised that Thailand shared
the United States' interest in enhancing the ARF Secretariat.
Furthermore, noting the ARF Chair term of only one year,
Jitvipa said Thailand sought U.S. consideration and support
for the ASEAN Secretary General becoming a member of the ARF
Secretariat for the Secretary General's five year term, to

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provide institutional knowledge and support for ARF
initiatives. Although she did not comment directly, Jitvipa
smiled and nodded accordingly when we discussed the proposed
deletion of the verbiage which suggested non-ASEAN members
should pay more for ASEAN participation in ARF activities.


4. (C) As for the U.S. proposed ARF CTTC Workplan, Jitvipa
expressed support in principle for the CTTC Workplan and
noted the ongoing importance of "hard" efforts such as
intelligence sharing and law enforcement cooperation for
regional security. While acknowledging the need for improved
organization and focus of "hard" efforts, Jitvipa said
Thailand could not disregard the importance of "soft" issues
such as "cultural" and "civilization" based initiatives,
particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in southern
Thailand, to help address counterterrorism and security
issues. Jitvipa believed the controversial Russian proposal
on "cultural and civilization" endorsed at the previous
meeting would continue to generate a good deal of discussion
at the upcoming meeting. Jitvipa suggested a dual-pronged
strategy would be most acceptable to all ARF members given
the myriad views expressed during the last CTTC session.
Jitvipa agreed that it made sense to focus ARF's "hard"
initiatives to achieve better results and more cohesion among
related entities. Jitvipa expressed support for both
bio-defense and maritime issues as focus areas, and suggested
that cyber-terrorism could be another option. Jitvipa noted
the ongoing discussion about organizing an Inter-Sessional
Meeting (ISM) specific to maritime issues. Jitvipa commented

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that it did not make sense for ARF to establish an ISM
specific to maritime issues given the number of land-locked
ARF members. Jitvipa believed focus on maritime issues under
the U.S. CTTC Workplan may be a good compromise solution.


5. (C) Although supportive in general terms with the U.S.
position, Jitvipa noted that there was much discussion needed
among ARF members on issues associated with the delinking of
the ASEAN and ARF Chairs, maritime ISM issue, and Shepherds
Groups concepts. Jitvipa indicated that Thailand would make
its final decisions after hearing the positions of other ARF
members at upcoming ARF meetings.


6. (U) Embassy Bangkok's points of contact are Political
Officer Lisa Kaleczyc and Mary-Gardner Coppola.
JOHN