DAS MARCIEL MEETS SINGAPORE MFA ASEAN DIRECTOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 001185 SIPDIS EAP/MTS - COPPOLA E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV SN SUBJECT: DAS MARCIEL MEETS SINGAPORE MFA ASEAN DIRECTOR KWOK FOOK SENG Classified By: CDA DANIEL SHIELDS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B/D). ¶1. (C) Summary: Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) and Ambassador to ASEAN Scot Marciel discussed U.S.-ASEAN relations with MFA ASEAN Director Kwok Fook Seng during a visit to Singapore December 9. Singapore will support U.S. efforts to include businesses in the 2010 ASEAN trade ministers visit to the United States. Singapore believes the U.S.-ASEAN Eminent Persons Group (EPG) must have a clear mandate and high-level participation to be effective. Although Singapore is not enamored of Australia's Asia Pacific Community idea, it does not share Vietnam's concerns that the inclusion of Russia and the United States in the East Asian Summit would cause "cultural discomfort." ASEAN's next opportunity to engage the Burmese on the issue of reforms would be in January during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat, where an informal setting might facilitate discussion. Singapore hopes Vietnam's chairmanship of ASEAN will provide a catalyst to spur the organization towards economic integration. End Summary. Trade Ministers Road Show -------------- ¶2. (C) The U.S. Government is working with the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) to help set up a visit by the ASEAN trade ministers to the United States for sometime in 2010, DAS Marciel noted. DAS Marciel said he hoped that ASEAN business leaders would also participate in the visit, which would be a good marketing opportunity for ASEAN, and would support U.S.-ASEAN business connectivity. Kwok agreed and said Singapore would support any efforts to include businesses in the visit. Eminent Persons Group -------------- ¶3. (C) Kwok, commenting on lessons learned from experiences with Eminent Persons groupings between ASEAN and China, South Korea and Japan, said high-level participation and a strategic focus would be key to the success of the U.S.-ASEAN EPG. Kwok said the EPG representatives should include business leaders, former high-level officials and academia. Noting that ASEAN proceedings sometimes get bogged down in minutiae, Kwok suggested that Singapore and the United States work together at the upcoming ASEAN meetings in Manila to ensure that the Terms of Reference for the establishment of the U.S.-ASEAN EPG be clear, focused and concise. Regional Architecture -------------- ¶4. (C) On the topic of regional architecture, Kwok said some countries, such as Vietnam, objected to expanding the East Asian Summit to include Russia and the United States because of "cultural differences." The Government of Singapore does not agree with Vietnam's assertion and is willing to provide assistance should the United States wish to join the EAS, Kwok said. ¶5. (C) Kwok said Singapore was dismayed that Australian officials cast ASEAN-wide concerns about Australia's Asia Pacific Community (APC) idea as Singapore-only concerns. Singapore was unhappy with Australia's proposition that a small coordinating group of countries meet annually to discuss the APC, viewing this as akin to mission-creep. Kwok said Singapore believes that any future regional structures must be Trans-Pacific rather than Pan-Asian. Burma -------------- ¶6. (C) DAS Marciel provided a readout of the trip that A/S Campbell and he took to Burma in November, noting that the junta did not signal any clear commitment to move forward on reform. Kwok replied that the next opportunity for ASEAN to engage the Burmese will be in January, during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat. The informal atmosphere of a retreat should facilitate discussion, he said. ASEAN -------------- ¶7. (C) DAS Marciel raised concerns over recent events in Vietnam which suggested a step backwards on human rights. Kwok, who was scheduled to depart for Vietnam the following day, said he was not up to speed on the latest developments, but shared U.S. concerns. Still, Kwok said a lot of hope is being pinned on Vietnam, as the ASEAN chair, to provide the momentum that will allow ASEAN to regain its stride. SINGAPORE 00001185 002 OF 002 ¶8. (U) DAS Marciel did not have the opportunity to clear this message. KENGOTT Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm