THAILAND/ASEAN: REQUEST FOR USG CONCURRENCE OF TAC

UNCLAS BANGKOK 002349 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/RSP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV TH SUBJECT: THAILAND/ASEAN: REQUEST FOR USG CONCURRENCE OF TAC THIRD PROTOCOL REF: BANGKOK-EAP 9/15 EMAIL ¶1. (SBU) This is an action request: please provide a response to the request for U.S. concurrence with the proposed Third Protocol to allow the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) to be amended to enable regional organizations to accede to the TAC. ¶2. (SBU) Thailand, as current Chair of ASEAN, sent a diplomatic note to the Embassy, dated September 11, requesting that the USG, as a TAC High Contracting Party, concur with the proposed Third Protocol. The text of the dipnote is in para 3 below. Post sent a scanned PDF file with the dipnote and associated documents -- background information paper, text of the third protocol -- to EAP and L via email September 15 (ref),the day the embassy received the dip note from the Thai MFA. ¶3. (SBU) Begin text of dip note No: 1202/1079 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and, with reference to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) of which the United States of America is a High Contracting Party, has the honor to inform the latter that, with the concurrently Member States of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN),it is proposed that the TAC be amended to enable regional organizations whose members are only sovereign States to accede to the TAC. In this connection, the Ministry wishes to point out that since in its current form, the TAC allows for accession by States only, amending the TAC through a Third Protocol is necessary to enable regional organizations whose members are only sovereign States to accede to the TAC. Such amendment requires the concurrence of all current 26 High Contracting Parties, of which to date 20 High Contracting Parties have given written notification of their concurrence. The Ministry is therefore circulating the draft Third Protocol as appears in the Attachment and would highly appreciate it if the Embassy would be so kind as to forward the attached draft Third Protocol to the Government of the United States of America for its favorable consideration. Further relevant background information on developments regarding amending the TAC is enclosed herewith for perusal. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America the assurances of its highest consideration. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok, 11 September BE 2552 (2009) JOHN