THAILAND: AMBASSADOR ENGAGES MFA ON IRAN AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 002368 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/16/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV TH SUBJECT: THAILAND: AMBASSADOR ENGAGES MFA ON IRAN AND DARFUR/UNAMID REF: SECSTATE 95073 Classified By: AMBASSADOR ERIC G. JOHN, REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (SBU) On September 16, the Ambassador met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Acting Permanent Secretary Chitriya Pinthong to deliver Ref A talking points on Iran, as well as to emphasize the importance of Thailand fulfilling its commitment to the UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur, Sudan (UNAMID). Iran -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador began by stressing the importance of broad-based international action on Iran's nuclear program. The Ambassador conveyed reftel talking points and urged Thailand to push Iran -- both in private bilateral discussions as well as publicly in the UN General Assembly )- to abide by its international obligations and to respond constructively to the P5 1 engagement offer. When Acting Perm Sec Chitriya asked for additional details about Iran,s intransigence, the Ambassador noted Iran,s efforts to distract from its non-compliance, and underscored the need to have early meetings and substantive, progressive negotiations with Tehran. Given Thailand,s strong commitment to the NPT, the RTG would be well placed to advance these arguments. Chitriya took note of the points and said Thailand had similar concerns. Darfur ) UNAMID -------------- ¶3. (C) Turning to Sudan, the Ambassador noted that it had been almost two years since the Thai Government first approved the deployment of peacekeepers for Darfur. It would be useful for Thailand to use the Prime Minister's visit to UNGA this month as an action-forcing event to move ahead with the deployment. Chitriya responded by assuring the Ambassador that the delay in deploying Thai troops was not due to a lack of political will or an unwillingness to commit. Rather, the on-going domestic political problems and the global economic crisis had prevented Thailand from fulfilling its commitment (note: Sudan,s refusal to allow access for a Thai military site survey team and hold-ups at Sudan,s port in moving equipment led to months of delays in operational planning, according to the Royal Thai Armed Forces Peacekeeping Center). ¶4. (SBU) Prime Minister Abhisit had instructed the Finance Ministry to work on addressing any outstanding issues before he departs for UNGA on September 20, according to Chitriya. ¶5. (SBU) Director General for International Organizations Anuson Chinvanno, noted the May 2009 Cabinet decision to reiterate support for the deployment of peacekeepers, but added that finance and budgetary limitations were delaying the process. The military's contingency fund was running low and options were limited. Anuson stressed once again that the Finance Ministry had been tasked with resolving this issue, a job that would be aided by the fact that parliamentary approval would not be necessary. JOHN