SINGAPORE HAS QUESTIONS CONCERNING NEW

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 000818 SIPDIS EAP/MTS - M. COPPOLA PM/PPA - D. HOPKINS AND D. FORAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/27/2019 TAGS: EWWT MARR PGOV PHSA PHUM PREL SN SUBJECT: SINGAPORE HAS QUESTIONS CONCERNING NEW "PARTICIPATORY" SOLUTION TO CGPCS MEMBERSHIP REF: SECSTATE 85758 Classified By: EP Counselor Joel Ehrendreich for Reasons 1.4 (b)(d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Singapore has several concerns about the new U.S. proposal (reftel) to move beyond the concept of membership to one of participation in the Contact Group for Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS),MFA Special Projects Deputy Director Iris Chen told Poloff August 27. Chen said Singapore is concerned that the Cyprus issue will continue to impede the effective participation of new parties in the CGPCS. Chen expressed concern that the new proposal might create a two-tiered structure and inquired as to how the new concept of "participation" would affect decision-making for the group. Singapore is also concerned that a potentially less-friendly nation hosting a CGPCS meeting down the road might not be as willing as the United States and Japan to include "participants," Chen said. Chen inquired as to the reactions of other CGPCS participants to our proposal. Lastly, Chen asked whether Iran and North Korea would be allowed into the CGPCS. End Summary. Will Cyprus Continue to be an Issue? -------------- ¶2. (C) In an August 27 conversation to discuss the new U.S. proposal (reftel) to move beyond the concept of membership to one of participation in the Contact Group for Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS),MFA Special Projects Deputy Director Iris Chen told Poloff that Singapore has several concerns and questions about the new U.S. proposal. Despite Poloff's assurances that the United States had consulted with Greece and Turkey during the development of our new proposal, Chen said Singapore is still concerned the ongoing dispute between Greece and Turkey regarding Cyprus's potential membership/participation in the CGPCS will continue to impede the accession and effective participation of new members/participants to the group. Concerns About Two-Tiered Structure -------------- ¶3. (C) Chen expressed concern that the new U.S. proposal could effectively create a two-tiered structure in the CGPCS: one tier for the original members, the second tier for the new "participants," she said. Given the potential for a two-tiered structure, Chen inquired as to how the new concept of "participation" would affect decision-making for the group. She asked whether new "participants" would have the same rights and responsibilities of the original members. She also raised the question whether expanding involvement to potentially include all UN-member countries diminish the effectiveness of the organization. Will Less-Friendly Hosts Still Invite Participants? -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) Chen expressed concern that if countries "less friendly than either the United States or Japan" hosted CGPCS meetings in the future they might be inclined to exclude non-members such as Singapore from participation. Chen asked if there are plans to enact rules to ensure continued participation in meetings. ¶5. (C) Chen asked whether Iran and North Korea would be allowed to participate. She also inquired as to the reactions of other countries the United States has demarched on the proposal to denote countries as "participants" rather than "members." Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) Despite the present impediment to accession, Singapore SINGAPORE 00000818 002 OF 002 has been an enthusiastic participant in CGPCS activities. Singapore is rightly concerned that the new U.S. proposal might relegate them to second-tier status and diminish recognition for their contributions to the anti-piracy effort. Singapore will follow up its recent (and now completed) deployment of an LST and two Super Puma helicopters to the Gulf of Aden by taking command of Task Force 151 beginning next year. Despite the concerns raised here, given Singapore's experience and success in conducting anti-piracy operations in the Straits of Malacca, Post expects Singapore's continued and effective participation in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. End Comment. Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm SHIELDS