USG PARTICIPATION IN MAJOR REGIONAL SECURITY

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001823 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, S/P NSC FOR J.BADER AND D.WALTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MARR ID XE SUBJECT: USG PARTICIPATION IN MAJOR REGIONAL SECURITY CONFERENCE ¶1. (U) This message contains an Action Request. Please see paragraph 3. ¶2. (U) The Center for Strategic and International Studies--Indonesia's leading think tank (but unrelated to the Washington CSIS)--will host the Seventh Conference of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) November 16-18 in Jakarta. CSIS expects new Indonesian FM Marty Natelegawa, Singapore FM George Yeo, and Australian PM Rudd's Special Envoy for the Asia-Pacific Community Richard Woolcott to attend. Other participants will include senior civilian government officials and military officers, leading academics and experts from across the region. Discussions will focus on regional implications of the global financial crisis, Asian strategic architecture, nonproliferation and arms control and other topics. (Note: Mission has sent the draft program to EAP/MTS by email.) ¶3. (U) ACTION REQUEST: CSCAP is one of Asia's leading security and foreign policy conferences. As such, USG participation is critical both to convey U.S. policy to key regional players and to demonstrate the depth of our engagement in Asia. CSIS invited EAP DAS Ambassador Scot Marciel to participate in a session on regional security architecture, however, we understand that a prior commitment precludes his attendance. In DAS Marciel's absence, Mission recommends that the Department identify an appropriate Washington official to attend CSCAP. (Note: Separately, DAO is seeking a U.S. Military representative to attend in place of Seventh Fleet Commander Vice Admiral John Bird who was also invited and cannot attend.) END ACTION REQUEST HUME