Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BANGKOK1500
2009-06-23 09:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:
THAILAND TO ENFORCE UNSCR 1874
how-toVZCZCXRO6509 OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHBK #1500/01 1740901 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 230901Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7335 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 7198 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 9776 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE 5584 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 1708 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON IMMEDIATE 0013 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 5439 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
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).
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
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