THAILAND TO ENFORCE UNSCR 1874

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 001500 SIPDIS FOR ISN, EAP, IO, USUN, AND T E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2019 TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC KN TH SUBJECT: THAILAND TO ENFORCE UNSCR 1874 REF: STATE 64133 Classified By: Ambassador Eric G. John, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. The Ambassador stressed to MFA Permanent Secretary Virasakdi Futrakul the importance of Thailand fully implementing UNSCR 1874 during a June 22 meeting. The RTG would implement the resolution, and relevant Thai agencies had already met to discuss the resolution and determine legal authorities available to them under Thai law, Virasakdi responded. Thailand would soon contact ASEAN members to determine how to proceed on a possible ASEAN statement in support of UNSCR 1874. End Summary. THAI INTERAGENCY TO ENFORCE 1874 -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador June 22 raised reftel points on UNSCR 1874 during a meeting with MFA Permanent Secretary Virasakdi Futrakul in the absence of Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, who was in Singapore. The Ambassador pressed for Thailand to enforce the resolution as comprehensively as possible per Thai legal authorities. The U.S. believed that the RTG had the technical and legal means to fully implement the resolution, the Ambassador said. Virasakdi told the Ambassador that the Thai interagency had met earlier June 22 to discuss UNSCR 1874 implementation and had agreed that Thailand would enforce the resolution. Involved agencies were investigating authorities provided under Thai law and would report July 14 to the Thai Cabinet their implementation plans and obligations under the resolution. ¶3. (C) The Ambassador stressed to Virasakdi the urgency of implementation of UNSCR 1874 and pushed for details of Thai plans for implementation prior to July 14. Virasakdi confirmed for the Ambassador that Thai agencies would begin enforcement of the resolution as soon as they had established their legal authorities. For example, the Ministry of Defense believed it already had the necessary legal authorities for inspecting vessels, and the Ministry of Finance would look into ways to apply Thai money laundering laws and to freeze assets, Virasakdi said. The RTG needed to address concerns of legal authorities for inspections in international waters and possible financial liabilities that could result if the government were sued following the inspection of a vessel that resulted in a delay in the delivery of legitimate cargo when no banned items were found, Virasakdi told the Ambassador. RTG WILL CANVASS ASEAN MEMBERS ON UNSCR 1874 STATEMENT -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) The Ambassador stressed to Virasakdi the importance for Thailand as chair of ASEAN to work with member states to issue an ASEAN statement of support for the implementation of UNSCR 1874. Virasakdi said he would report the request to FM Kasit and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The Foreign Ministry would also check soon the reaction of other ASEAN member states to the proposal. A possible hurdle to coordinating a statement was that no ASEAN senior officials meetings were planned until July 17. The Ambassador stressed the importance of quick action by ASEAN and told Virasakdi that all ASEAN nations should have been demarched by June 23. IMPORTANT TO PUSH BURMA ON IMPLEMENTATION -------------- ¶5. (C) The Ambassador highlighted for Virasakdi growing Burmese-North Korean ties, particularly those involving weapons. As such, it was important for the RTG and ASEAN to make a concerted effort to convince the Burmese to enforce their responsibilities under UNSC resolutions regarding the DPRK, the Ambassador said. Virasakdi took note of the concerns involving Burma and committed to report this issue to FM Kasit and PM Abhisit. (Note: Media stories linking the North Korean vessel Kang Nam to a suspected shipment to Burma broke after the meeting; we subsequently drew MFA attention BANGKOK 00001500 002 OF 002 to those media reports). ENCOURAGE RTG TO ENDORSE PSI -------------- ¶6. (C) The Ambassador noted South Korea's recent endorsement of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) and raised this as a timely example of positive national commitment to nonproliferation, particularly in regard to the DPRK. Virasakdi told the Ambassador that the RTG was still considering its options in regard to PSI. JOHN