Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE131640
2009-12-29 19:54:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Secretary of State
Cable title:
ASEAN DIRECTORS GENERAL REVIEW PROGRESS ON
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 131640
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DISTRIBUTE TO BANGKOK RDMA - JEWILSON
DISTRIBUTE TO USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV PHUM PREL XB XC XD XE XU XV ZO ASEAN
AID
SUBJECT: ASEAN DIRECTORS GENERAL REVIEW PROGRESS ON
ENHANCED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 131640
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DISTRIBUTE TO BANGKOK RDMA - JEWILSON
DISTRIBUTE TO USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV PHUM PREL XB XC XD XE XU XV ZO ASEAN
AID
SUBJECT: ASEAN DIRECTORS GENERAL REVIEW PROGRESS ON
ENHANCED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES
1. (U) Summary. Directors General (DGs) from the 10
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met with
EAP/RSP director on December 15 in Manila to review progress
on implementing the November ASEAN ) U.S. Leaders' Meeting
Joint Statement and to initiate planning for the next ASEAN
) U.S. five-year plan of action (POA). All participants
noted the number of important outcomes from the Leaders'
Meeting, such as the U.S. Mission to ASEAN, the ASEAN ) U.S.
eminent persons group (EPG),future cabinet-level
interactions, the planned visit of ASEAN trade ministers and
a business delegation to the United States, and the next
Leaders' Meeting in 2010, among other items. For the next
POA, to cover the period of July 2011 to 2016, the DGs agreed
to draft a more broadly strategic document in contrast to the
present POA, which has over 100 discrete areas of
cooperation. The December meeting provided a useful
opportunity to review the expanding U.S. engagement with
ASEAN, highlight progress that already has been made in the
past month on implementing the Leaders' Meeting Joint
Statement, and to start the planning for what will be a busy
year in the U.S. - ASEAN relationship, with the establishment
of a new Mission and planning for the next Leaders' Meeting.
End Summary.
--------------
Joint Statement
--------------
2. (U) The Philippines, the present coordinator for the
U.S. dialogue partner relationship with ASEAN, hosted in
Manila on December 15 a meeting between ASEAN DGs and EAP/RSP
director. The meeting initially reviewed the implementation
of the November Leaders' Meeting Joint Statement. EAP/RSP
director noted that progress has been made in the past month;
for instance, the United States has provided a climate change
specialist to the ASEAN Secretariat, planning for
environmental projects has started, and a youth exchange
program supported by Northern Illinois University began in
November. In addition, a U.S. Foreign Service officer has
been assigned to Jakarta beginning in January to establish a
STATE 00131640 002 OF 004
3. (U) Areas requiring further implementation included the
proposed 2010 Leaders' Meeting, establishing the EPG,
cabinet-level meetings, and a trade delegation to the United
States. The ASEAN DGs requested information on the timing of
President Obama's participation in the next Leaders' Meeting.
EAP/RSP director responded that dates have not been set yet.
EAP/RSP director outlined a proposed terms of reference
(TOR) for the EPG, which would include three U.S.
representatives and one representative from each ASEAN
country. The proposed TOR for the EPG would also have former
cabinet-level officials and corporate leaders of the top
U.S.-ASEAN companies in the region. The EPG will review
progress in the U.S.-ASEAN 32-year relationship and identify
areas for future cooperation ) serving a dual role of
raising ASEAN awareness among policy makers and pushing a
more aggressive agenda for U.S.-ASEAN cooperation. The EPG
TOR and the participant list would be finalized by February
for the second ASEAN Working Group Meeting. The ASEAN DGs
also asked for clarification of plans for interactions
between Energy Secretary Chu and U.S. Trade Representative
(USTR) Kirk and their counterparts. Again, the timing for
those meetings has yet to be established; similarly, the
travel of trade ministers and ASEAN business representatives
will have to be coordinated with the appropriate offices and
the U.S. - ASEAN Business Council (USABC).
4. (U) EAP/RSP director asked for clarification from the
ASEAN DGs on how the U.S. private sector can support planning
for pandemic preparedness; whether ASEAN would be receptive
to U.S. companies assisting in stockpiling vaccines for swine
and other flu strains. Similarly in disaster assistance, the
United States intended to follow-up on implementing a
regional multi-hazard early warning system and to support
training on civil-military cooperation in disaster management
and humanitarian assistance.
5. (SBU) EAP/RSP director also asked for information on
plans for the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM
Plus) mechanism, which would provide an opportunity for the
ASEAN Defense Ministers to meet their counterparts from the
Dialogue Partner country, such as the United States, China,
and others. According to the ASEAN DGs, details were still
under discussion, but that they anticipated seeking U.S.
STATE 00131640 003 OF 004
SUBJECT: ASEAN DIRECTORS GENERAL REVIEW PROGRESS ON
ENHANCED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STAT
participation in an ADMM Plus. EAP/RSP director recommended
that initially U.S. officials could be included in planning
discussions for the ADMM Plus at a working- level. The ASEAN
officials mentioned that there would be working-level
meetings on this issue in the beginning of 2010, prior to a
Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) for the ADMM in May and the
Ministers Meeting during the ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial
(ARF) meetings in July. In separate conversations, the
Vietnam DG commented that Vietnam, as the ASEAN chair country
for 2010, was inclined to include eight of the 10 ASEAN
dialogue partner countries (United States, China, Russia,
India, Japan, Republic of Korea (ROK),Australia, New
Zealand). The Vietnamese selection criteria included the
dialogue partners that had signed the Treaty of Amity and
Cooperation (TAC) and had a record of security cooperation in
the region. This would exclude dialogue partners, such as
the European Union and Canada. Separately, the Singapore DG
expressed concerns about having too inclusive a list of
participants in the ADMM Plus, making it too cumbersome to
achieve agreement on issues. He also questioned the merits
of including Russia and India, which he considered to be less
constructive partners.
--------------
Plan of Action
--------------
6. (U) Following discussion of the Joint Statement, the
meeting participants reviewed the status of the present
five-year POA, due to end in July 2011. The participants
noted the progress made in many areas within the three ASEAN
communities: Political and Security, Economic Cooperation,
and Social and Development Cooperation. Within the political
and security area, the engagement has expanded with more
high-level interactions, plans for a new U.S. Mission to
ASEAN, and greater efforts in nontraditional security issues
such as disaster management. In the economic area, the
United States has provided support to market integration,
implementation, and conformance with standards and
intellectual property. For social and development support,
the United States has helped to establish a climate change
specialist position and a range of environmental projects in
the region.
7. (U) Given the POA has over a hundred discrete points for
cooperation, some areas had only limited or no activity, such
STATE 00131640 004 OF 004
SUBJECT: ASEAN DIRECTORS GENERAL REVIEW PROGRESS ON
ENHANCED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STAT
as in support for development of minerals and agriculture.
EAP/RSP Director recommended that the next POA should be more
strategic, focus on areas where there has been successful
cooperation, and should eliminate areas that saw little
activity the past four years. In addition, to ensure full
commitment from all sides, for each area of cooperation there
should be an identified ASEAN lead country and a
participating U.S. agency counterpart. The participants
agreed that since there were a number of pressing issues to
plan in the first half of the next year, such as the next
Leaders, Meeting and follow-up to the Joint Statement,
planning for the 2011-2016 POA could be delegated to the more
working-level officials in the Committee of Permanent
Representatives. Moreover, any recommendations could be
reviewed in the latter part of 2010, with ultimate signing by
the ministers in July 2011.
8. (SBU) Comment: The December ASEAN DGs meeting provided
an opportunity to assess the status of the Leaders, Meeting
Joint Statement and the present POA. The discussions
highlighted the significant expansion of U.S. engagement with
ASEAN and the number of accomplishments in that cooperation.
The ASEAN DGs recognized that the United States was seeking
to elevate its interaction with ASEAN and that this was
consistent with the United States, broader goal of enhancing
its multilateral engagement in the Asia-Pacific region
generally. The dialogue also highlighted that significant
additional planning would be required to implement the Joint
Statement, such as to establish the EPG and to schedule
another Leaders, Meeting in 2010 as promised by President
Obama.
CLINTON
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DISTRIBUTE TO BANGKOK RDMA - JEWILSON
DISTRIBUTE TO USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV PHUM PREL XB XC XD XE XU XV ZO ASEAN
AID
SUBJECT: ASEAN DIRECTORS GENERAL REVIEW PROGRESS ON
ENHANCED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES
1. (U) Summary. Directors General (DGs) from the 10
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met with
EAP/RSP director on December 15 in Manila to review progress
on implementing the November ASEAN ) U.S. Leaders' Meeting
Joint Statement and to initiate planning for the next ASEAN
) U.S. five-year plan of action (POA). All participants
noted the number of important outcomes from the Leaders'
Meeting, such as the U.S. Mission to ASEAN, the ASEAN ) U.S.
eminent persons group (EPG),future cabinet-level
interactions, the planned visit of ASEAN trade ministers and
a business delegation to the United States, and the next
Leaders' Meeting in 2010, among other items. For the next
POA, to cover the period of July 2011 to 2016, the DGs agreed
to draft a more broadly strategic document in contrast to the
present POA, which has over 100 discrete areas of
cooperation. The December meeting provided a useful
opportunity to review the expanding U.S. engagement with
ASEAN, highlight progress that already has been made in the
past month on implementing the Leaders' Meeting Joint
Statement, and to start the planning for what will be a busy
year in the U.S. - ASEAN relationship, with the establishment
of a new Mission and planning for the next Leaders' Meeting.
End Summary.
--------------
Joint Statement
--------------
2. (U) The Philippines, the present coordinator for the
U.S. dialogue partner relationship with ASEAN, hosted in
Manila on December 15 a meeting between ASEAN DGs and EAP/RSP
director. The meeting initially reviewed the implementation
of the November Leaders' Meeting Joint Statement. EAP/RSP
director noted that progress has been made in the past month;
for instance, the United States has provided a climate change
specialist to the ASEAN Secretariat, planning for
environmental projects has started, and a youth exchange
program supported by Northern Illinois University began in
November. In addition, a U.S. Foreign Service officer has
been assigned to Jakarta beginning in January to establish a
STATE 00131640 002 OF 004
3. (U) Areas requiring further implementation included the
proposed 2010 Leaders' Meeting, establishing the EPG,
cabinet-level meetings, and a trade delegation to the United
States. The ASEAN DGs requested information on the timing of
President Obama's participation in the next Leaders' Meeting.
EAP/RSP director responded that dates have not been set yet.
EAP/RSP director outlined a proposed terms of reference
(TOR) for the EPG, which would include three U.S.
representatives and one representative from each ASEAN
country. The proposed TOR for the EPG would also have former
cabinet-level officials and corporate leaders of the top
U.S.-ASEAN companies in the region. The EPG will review
progress in the U.S.-ASEAN 32-year relationship and identify
areas for future cooperation ) serving a dual role of
raising ASEAN awareness among policy makers and pushing a
more aggressive agenda for U.S.-ASEAN cooperation. The EPG
TOR and the participant list would be finalized by February
for the second ASEAN Working Group Meeting. The ASEAN DGs
also asked for clarification of plans for interactions
between Energy Secretary Chu and U.S. Trade Representative
(USTR) Kirk and their counterparts. Again, the timing for
those meetings has yet to be established; similarly, the
travel of trade ministers and ASEAN business representatives
will have to be coordinated with the appropriate offices and
the U.S. - ASEAN Business Council (USABC).
4. (U) EAP/RSP director asked for clarification from the
ASEAN DGs on how the U.S. private sector can support planning
for pandemic preparedness; whether ASEAN would be receptive
to U.S. companies assisting in stockpiling vaccines for swine
and other flu strains. Similarly in disaster assistance, the
United States intended to follow-up on implementing a
regional multi-hazard early warning system and to support
training on civil-military cooperation in disaster management
and humanitarian assistance.
5. (SBU) EAP/RSP director also asked for information on
plans for the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM
Plus) mechanism, which would provide an opportunity for the
ASEAN Defense Ministers to meet their counterparts from the
Dialogue Partner country, such as the United States, China,
and others. According to the ASEAN DGs, details were still
under discussion, but that they anticipated seeking U.S.
STATE 00131640 003 OF 004
SUBJECT: ASEAN DIRECTORS GENERAL REVIEW PROGRESS ON
ENHANCED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STAT
participation in an ADMM Plus. EAP/RSP director recommended
that initially U.S. officials could be included in planning
discussions for the ADMM Plus at a working- level. The ASEAN
officials mentioned that there would be working-level
meetings on this issue in the beginning of 2010, prior to a
Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) for the ADMM in May and the
Ministers Meeting during the ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial
(ARF) meetings in July. In separate conversations, the
Vietnam DG commented that Vietnam, as the ASEAN chair country
for 2010, was inclined to include eight of the 10 ASEAN
dialogue partner countries (United States, China, Russia,
India, Japan, Republic of Korea (ROK),Australia, New
Zealand). The Vietnamese selection criteria included the
dialogue partners that had signed the Treaty of Amity and
Cooperation (TAC) and had a record of security cooperation in
the region. This would exclude dialogue partners, such as
the European Union and Canada. Separately, the Singapore DG
expressed concerns about having too inclusive a list of
participants in the ADMM Plus, making it too cumbersome to
achieve agreement on issues. He also questioned the merits
of including Russia and India, which he considered to be less
constructive partners.
--------------
Plan of Action
--------------
6. (U) Following discussion of the Joint Statement, the
meeting participants reviewed the status of the present
five-year POA, due to end in July 2011. The participants
noted the progress made in many areas within the three ASEAN
communities: Political and Security, Economic Cooperation,
and Social and Development Cooperation. Within the political
and security area, the engagement has expanded with more
high-level interactions, plans for a new U.S. Mission to
ASEAN, and greater efforts in nontraditional security issues
such as disaster management. In the economic area, the
United States has provided support to market integration,
implementation, and conformance with standards and
intellectual property. For social and development support,
the United States has helped to establish a climate change
specialist position and a range of environmental projects in
the region.
7. (U) Given the POA has over a hundred discrete points for
cooperation, some areas had only limited or no activity, such
STATE 00131640 004 OF 004
SUBJECT: ASEAN DIRECTORS GENERAL REVIEW PROGRESS ON
ENHANCED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STAT
as in support for development of minerals and agriculture.
EAP/RSP Director recommended that the next POA should be more
strategic, focus on areas where there has been successful
cooperation, and should eliminate areas that saw little
activity the past four years. In addition, to ensure full
commitment from all sides, for each area of cooperation there
should be an identified ASEAN lead country and a
participating U.S. agency counterpart. The participants
agreed that since there were a number of pressing issues to
plan in the first half of the next year, such as the next
Leaders, Meeting and follow-up to the Joint Statement,
planning for the 2011-2016 POA could be delegated to the more
working-level officials in the Committee of Permanent
Representatives. Moreover, any recommendations could be
reviewed in the latter part of 2010, with ultimate signing by
the ministers in July 2011.
8. (SBU) Comment: The December ASEAN DGs meeting provided
an opportunity to assess the status of the Leaders, Meeting
Joint Statement and the present POA. The discussions
highlighted the significant expansion of U.S. engagement with
ASEAN and the number of accomplishments in that cooperation.
The ASEAN DGs recognized that the United States was seeking
to elevate its interaction with ASEAN and that this was
consistent with the United States, broader goal of enhancing
its multilateral engagement in the Asia-Pacific region
generally. The dialogue also highlighted that significant
additional planning would be required to implement the Joint
Statement, such as to establish the EPG and to schedule
another Leaders, Meeting in 2010 as promised by President
Obama.
CLINTON