Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KUALALUMPUR404
2009-05-26 09:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:
MALAYSIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTACT GROUP ON
how-toVZCZCXRO2511 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH DE RUEHKL #0404 1460902 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 260902Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2761 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0034 RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0026 RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0166 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2593 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 0112 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0080 RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 0005 RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 1794 RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA 0039 RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA 0044 RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 4623 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2643 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1113 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RHMFIUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000404
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PM FOR FORAN, HUSAIN, ROSATI
MANAMA FOR CMF/CHAMBERS
SINGAPORE FOR NCIS/MARUSHI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS PHSA KCRM MARR ECON EWWT MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTACT GROUP ON
PIRACY OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA
REF: SECSTATE 50499
UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000404
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PM FOR FORAN, HUSAIN, ROSATI
MANAMA FOR CMF/CHAMBERS
SINGAPORE FOR NCIS/MARUSHI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS PHSA KCRM MARR ECON EWWT MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTACT GROUP ON
PIRACY OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA
REF: SECSTATE 50499
1. (SBU) Summary and Comment: Post conveyed reftel points on
the Somali piracy Contact Group to Malaysia's Foreign
Ministry on May 20. The MFA official proposed no changes to
the draft CGPCS agenda and offered that Malaysia will be
represented at the CGPCS by its PermRep and staff from its
Permanent Mission in New York. As an aspiring member,
Malaysia appears to be taking an approach to the Contact
Group that is both pragmatic with regard to the immediate
protection of Malaysian vessels and (at least rhetorically)
focused on addressing the longer-term root causes of piracy
in Somalia. End Summary and Comment.
2. (SBU) Emboff, together with U.S. Naval Attache and a
visiting USN captain from the Combined Maritime Forces, met
on May 20 with MFA Multilateral Political Affairs Under
Secretary Ganeson and provided the agenda and administrative
details of the May 29 meeting of the Contact Group (reftel),
for which Malaysia is an aspiring member. Ganeson noted the
MFA had convened an interagency group to discuss Malaysia's
approach to the CGPCS meeting and to confirm Malaysia's UN
PermRep and his staff as participants for the New York
session. While no delegation will be sent from Malaysia to
the upcoming New York CGPCS meeting, Ganeson expected the MFA
to play an increasing role in coordinating what thus far has
been disjointed Malaysian engagement in international
anti-piracy discussions. Interagency representatives from
Malaysia expect to attend future Working Group meetings,
assuming Malaysia is accepted as a member.
3. (SBU) In previewing with Ganeson USG positions on various
agenda items, Ganeson acknowledged that Malaysia currently
does not have piracy laws and that, in the past, piracy cases
have been tried under the Malaysian penal code. Malaysia is
now considering signing on to the SUA Convention on the
Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime
Navigation. On the proposed creation of working group 5 on
financial levers, Ganeson acknowledged the leadership role
that Malaysia's central Bank Negara has taken training other
ASEAN countries' central banks within the FATF and that
Malaysia could bring such expertise to the counter-piracy
effort.
4. (SBU) Ganeson inquired about an organized crime nexus to
piracy, citing recent press reporting of pirates receiving
information about ships itineraries to plan attacks on
certain kinds of ships in the Gulf of Aden. We noted that
there was extensive information sharing among Contact Group
countries leading to increasing levels of law enforcement and
investigative interest. Ganeson asked about the functioning
of the CGPCS: whether members only are given the opportunity
to share their view; and similarly whether only Working Group
chairs report, or whether other WG members may share their
comments. Finally, Ganeson asked for copies of existing WG
reports/papers. (Note: Please forward appropriate documents
electronically to Embassy POC Jason Donovan at
DonovanJ@state.gov.)
KEITH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PM FOR FORAN, HUSAIN, ROSATI
MANAMA FOR CMF/CHAMBERS
SINGAPORE FOR NCIS/MARUSHI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS PHSA KCRM MARR ECON EWWT MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTACT GROUP ON
PIRACY OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA
REF: SECSTATE 50499
1. (SBU) Summary and Comment: Post conveyed reftel points on
the Somali piracy Contact Group to Malaysia's Foreign
Ministry on May 20. The MFA official proposed no changes to
the draft CGPCS agenda and offered that Malaysia will be
represented at the CGPCS by its PermRep and staff from its
Permanent Mission in New York. As an aspiring member,
Malaysia appears to be taking an approach to the Contact
Group that is both pragmatic with regard to the immediate
protection of Malaysian vessels and (at least rhetorically)
focused on addressing the longer-term root causes of piracy
in Somalia. End Summary and Comment.
2. (SBU) Emboff, together with U.S. Naval Attache and a
visiting USN captain from the Combined Maritime Forces, met
on May 20 with MFA Multilateral Political Affairs Under
Secretary Ganeson and provided the agenda and administrative
details of the May 29 meeting of the Contact Group (reftel),
for which Malaysia is an aspiring member. Ganeson noted the
MFA had convened an interagency group to discuss Malaysia's
approach to the CGPCS meeting and to confirm Malaysia's UN
PermRep and his staff as participants for the New York
session. While no delegation will be sent from Malaysia to
the upcoming New York CGPCS meeting, Ganeson expected the MFA
to play an increasing role in coordinating what thus far has
been disjointed Malaysian engagement in international
anti-piracy discussions. Interagency representatives from
Malaysia expect to attend future Working Group meetings,
assuming Malaysia is accepted as a member.
3. (SBU) In previewing with Ganeson USG positions on various
agenda items, Ganeson acknowledged that Malaysia currently
does not have piracy laws and that, in the past, piracy cases
have been tried under the Malaysian penal code. Malaysia is
now considering signing on to the SUA Convention on the
Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime
Navigation. On the proposed creation of working group 5 on
financial levers, Ganeson acknowledged the leadership role
that Malaysia's central Bank Negara has taken training other
ASEAN countries' central banks within the FATF and that
Malaysia could bring such expertise to the counter-piracy
effort.
4. (SBU) Ganeson inquired about an organized crime nexus to
piracy, citing recent press reporting of pirates receiving
information about ships itineraries to plan attacks on
certain kinds of ships in the Gulf of Aden. We noted that
there was extensive information sharing among Contact Group
countries leading to increasing levels of law enforcement and
investigative interest. Ganeson asked about the functioning
of the CGPCS: whether members only are given the opportunity
to share their view; and similarly whether only Working Group
chairs report, or whether other WG members may share their
comments. Finally, Ganeson asked for copies of existing WG
reports/papers. (Note: Please forward appropriate documents
electronically to Embassy POC Jason Donovan at
DonovanJ@state.gov.)
KEITH