RTG ASSESSING PSI ENDORSEMENT

UNCLAS BANGKOK 000976 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, SCA, T, ISN, ISN/CPI (GUZMAN/PURCELL), EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/AP L.STERN NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC PARM PREL TH SUBJECT: RTG ASSESSING PSI ENDORSEMENT REF: STATE 28161 ¶1. (SBU) POLOFFs delivered REFTEL points on March 26 to Chamsai Menasveta, First Secretary in the Peace, Security and Disarmament Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Chamsai stated that Thailand is still evaluating whether to endorse the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) Statement of Principles. She said that working-level assessments had been completed, and the decision was now at the political level. She declined to say whether a decision would be made prior to the May 2008 Fifth Anniversary event, but she said Thailand would send a representative in any event, if not from Bangkok then from their embassy in Washington. ¶2. (SBU) Chamsai also stated that in spite of not having endorsed PSI yet, Thailand has already participated in tabletop exercises hosted by Japan and Australia. Chamsai agreed with POLOFFs that PSI might also be an issue for discussion at the US-Thailand Strategic Dialogue. JOHN