ASEAN 101 and Contacts

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001076 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP BANGKOK FOR USAID/RDMA E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: ASEAN ECIN PREL EAID ID SUBJECT: ASEAN 101 and Contacts JAKARTA 00001076 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. Summary: Secretary Clinton's historic February visit to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat (ASEC) in Jakarta underscores a deepening U.S. relationship with ASEAN. The United States was ASEAN's first "Dialogue Partner" to name an Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs. It also provides significant technical assistance to ASEC through a USAID-managed Facility co-located with ASEC. Embassy Jakarta is working to disseminate information on -- and facilitate communication about -- ASEAN/ASEC more effectively within the USG. To receive periodic informational updates on ASEAN/ASEC, please see paragraph 9. End Summary. Background -------------- ¶2. The Foreign Ministers of ASEAN established ASEC in 1976 to coordinate and implement ASEAN projects and activities. Headquartered in Jakarta, ASEC houses the Secretary General, four Deputy Secretary Generals and approximately 240 professional staff. ASEC is also the venue for the regular meetings of the newly established Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR). The CPR's responsibilities include supporting the work of the ASEAN Community Councils, coordinating with ASEAN National Secretariats and other ASEAN Ministerial Bodies, as well as liaising with the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat. ¶3. Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Burma have appointed their respective Permanent Representatives to ASEAN. Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia have appointed Permanent Representatives who are expected to present their credentials within the next two weeks. Thailand has appointed an ad-interim Permanent Representative as Thai law currently only allows for such appointments to the United Nations and related agencies. The Permanent Representatives are housed at their respective embassies in Jakarta. ¶4. The current ASEAN Secretary General -- Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, a former foreign minister of Thailand -- will serve a five-year term from 2008-2012. Dr. Pitsuwan is supported by four Deputy Secretary Generals. Singapore's Sundram Pushpanathan covers ASEAN's Economic Community, Laos' Sayakane Sisouvong covers the Political-Security Community, and Cambodia's Dr. Soeung Rathchavy covers the Socio-Cultural Community until her term ends in August. The Deputy Secretary General for the Corporate Affairs Department is currently vacant. The professional staff is openly recruited from among ASEAN country nationals. ¶5. ASEC operates on a $14 million annual budget, with equal contribution from each member state. Dialogue partners and other donors have contributed to various trust funds, including Aus$55 million for seven years from Australia, $350 million for five years from Japan, and Euro 70 million for five years from the European Union. These contributions from donor states are expected to increase substantially over the coming years. ¶6. ASEAN has two tiers of formalized partnerships: Dialogue Partner and Sectoral Dialogue Partner. Currently, only Pakistan is in the latter category. The United States is one of 11 Dialogue Partners that include both countries and organizations such as the UNDP, Russia, Canada and India. ASEAN+3 refers to an institutionalized forum for cooperation between ASEAN and Dialogue Partners China, Japan and South Korea. In addition to these partnerships, there is also the East Asia Summit involving ASEAN Plus Three and Australia, New Zealand and India. U.S. Assistance to ASEAN -------------- ¶7. United States assistance to the region totaled $629.5 million in 2008, including regional and bilateral support. This support is generally provided through technical assistance. The United States provides additional support to the region through multilateral institutions, such as the Asian Development and World Banks, and directly through USG agencies like the Patent and Trademark Office or the Federal Trade Commission. The USG delivers a significant portion of its direct technical assistance to ASEC and ASEAN member states through the ASEAN Development Vision to Advance National Cooperation and Economic Integration (ADVANCE) program. USAID's Regional Development Mission/Asia (RDMA) in Bangkok (Michael Satin and Jennifer Wilson) manages the program and the program's contractor, Nathan Associates, Inc. Regional assistance is also delivered through USAID/RDMA in areas such as preservation of biodiversity, clean energy development, emerging infectious diseases and trafficking in people. JAKARTA 00001076 002 OF 002 ¶8. Currently, ADVANCE focuses on four key projects. Located within ASEC, the ASEAN-US Technical Assistance and Training Facility provides technical assistance and training to ASEC and member states supporting all 3 pillars of ASEAN integration (Political-Security, Economic, and Socio-Cultural. Assistance areas range from pandemic preparedness to information technologies to trade facilitation. The ASEAN Single Window (ASW) project supports the development of a system to facilitate the more rapid clearance of goods and greater transparency in cross-border transactions. The ASEAN Competitiveness Enhancement (ACE) project supports the competitiveness and integration of ASEAN's textile and apparel and tourism supply chains. The Lao program supports the Government of Laos' efforts to liberalize its trade and investment regime to comply with its bi-lateral trade agreement with the United States and accede to the WTO. For further information, visit www.asean-us-partnership.org. Department of State Points of Contact with ASEC -------------- -- ¶9. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia Scot Marciel is the current -- and first -- U.S. Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs. DAS Marciel is supported by the EAP/RSP Office (contact Jack Andre at andreJH@state.gov for additional information). Embassy Jakarta serves a liaison function between State (as well as other USG agencies in general) and ASEC until such time as a USG office for ASEAN affairs is established and staffed in Jakarta. Economic Officer Machut Shishak and Political Officer Matthew Cenzer cover ASEAN issues in general. Together with two part-time employees Elizabeth Spelsberg and Nicholas Throckmorton, they facilitate and coordinate communication between USG agencies/offices and ASEC. They have a good working relationship with ASEC staff and frequently assist USG officials with ASEAN-related meetings and information. For more Information about ASEAN -------------- ¶10. Officers/Posts/Offices that wish to be included on occasional/periodic e-mail updates on ASEAN and ASEC (including information on current or future assistance programs/projects in the 10 countries) are requested to inform Elizabeth Spelsberg at SpelsbergEA@state.gov. HUME