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
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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
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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