Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SINGAPORE587
2008-05-22 10:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:
SINGAPORE CONCERNED BURMA ILL PREPARED FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO0710 OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH DE RUEHGP #0587 1431004 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 221004Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5333 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0887 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0192 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SINGAPORE 000587
NOFORN
SIPDIS
EAP/MLS FOR AARON COPE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2018
TAGS: EAID PREL SN BM ASEAN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE CONCERNED BURMA ILL PREPARED FOR
PLEDGING CONFERENCE
REF: A. STATE 53985
B. SINGAPORE 572
Classified By: E/P Chief Ike Reed, reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SINGAPORE 000587
NOFORN
SIPDIS
EAP/MLS FOR AARON COPE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2018
TAGS: EAID PREL SN BM ASEAN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE CONCERNED BURMA ILL PREPARED FOR
PLEDGING CONFERENCE
REF: A. STATE 53985
B. SINGAPORE 572
Classified By: E/P Chief Ike Reed, reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) In response to ref A demarche, MFA ASEAN Directorate
Senior Deputy Director Wong Chow Ming told E/P Chief May 21
that Singapore shares our concern about the need to focus
Burma's attention on ensuring international relief reaches
victims of Cyclone Nargis as quickly as possible. Wong
recalled that in an ASEAN senior officials meeting just prior
to the May 19 ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (ref B),
Burmese officials appeared to have "no idea" what would be
expected of them at the May 25 pledging conference in
Rangoon. He said ASEAN senior officials, in particular from
countries that received international assistance following
the 2004 tsunami, had worked to convince Burma that donors
would not offer "blank checks" and would expect well-executed
needs assessments and mechanisms to ensure any assistance was
properly targeted and accounted for.
2. (C) Recalling that the Burmese kept pressing to hold the
conference as early as May 22, Wong said it had taken some
effort to convince the Burmese that they had a lot of work to
do to get ready even for a May 24 conference. Wong said he
was still not sure the Burmese fully understood how much
would be required of them, but nevertheless they had agreed
to the May 24 date and, in the subsequent ASEAN Foreign
Ministers Meeting, responded positively to requests for
greater international access and a coordinating role for
ASEAN.
3. (U) Wong said that Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo
would co-host the May 24 pledging conference along with his
Burmese counterpart, Nyan Win, and UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon.
Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
HERBOLD
NOFORN
SIPDIS
EAP/MLS FOR AARON COPE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2018
TAGS: EAID PREL SN BM ASEAN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE CONCERNED BURMA ILL PREPARED FOR
PLEDGING CONFERENCE
REF: A. STATE 53985
B. SINGAPORE 572
Classified By: E/P Chief Ike Reed, reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) In response to ref A demarche, MFA ASEAN Directorate
Senior Deputy Director Wong Chow Ming told E/P Chief May 21
that Singapore shares our concern about the need to focus
Burma's attention on ensuring international relief reaches
victims of Cyclone Nargis as quickly as possible. Wong
recalled that in an ASEAN senior officials meeting just prior
to the May 19 ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (ref B),
Burmese officials appeared to have "no idea" what would be
expected of them at the May 25 pledging conference in
Rangoon. He said ASEAN senior officials, in particular from
countries that received international assistance following
the 2004 tsunami, had worked to convince Burma that donors
would not offer "blank checks" and would expect well-executed
needs assessments and mechanisms to ensure any assistance was
properly targeted and accounted for.
2. (C) Recalling that the Burmese kept pressing to hold the
conference as early as May 22, Wong said it had taken some
effort to convince the Burmese that they had a lot of work to
do to get ready even for a May 24 conference. Wong said he
was still not sure the Burmese fully understood how much
would be required of them, but nevertheless they had agreed
to the May 24 date and, in the subsequent ASEAN Foreign
Ministers Meeting, responded positively to requests for
greater international access and a coordinating role for
ASEAN.
3. (U) Wong said that Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo
would co-host the May 24 pledging conference along with his
Burmese counterpart, Nyan Win, and UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon.
Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
HERBOLD