A/S SHAPIRO AND THE AMBASSADOR PRESS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 000185

SIPDIS

GENEVA FOR RMA
DEPT FOR PRM/ANE AND PRM/A; EAP/MLS
NSC FOR WALTON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2020
TAGS: PREF PGOV PREL PHUM SMIG TH LA
SUBJECT: A/S SHAPIRO AND THE AMBASSADOR PRESS FOR
SCREENED-IN LIST OF HMONG

Classified By: Ambassador Eric G. John, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. During a January 13-15 visit, Assistant
Secretary for Political-Military Affairs Andrew Shapiro and
the Ambassador repeatedly raised a USG request for the Thai
government's list of screened-in Hmong during meetings with
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban, Minister of Defense
Prawit Wongsuwan, Ministry of Defense Permanent Secretary
Apichart Penkitti, Royal Thai Armed Forces Chief of Defense
Forces General Songkitti Jaggabatra, and Vice Minister of
Foreign Affairs Panich Vikitsreth. All interlocutors said
the list should be forthcoming. Other areas of discussion
from Assistant Secretary Shapiro's meetings will be reported
septel. End summary.


2. (C) During a January 15 meeting joined by the Ambassador,
Assistant Secretary Shapiro told DPM Suthep that the return
of the Hmong was an issue of great concern for Washington,
emphasizing that the long-standing USG request for the Thai
list of "screened-in" of Petchabun Hmong was very important.
Suthep promised that the RTG would make the list available
soon and said he understood that the Hmong who had been
returned to Laos were very happy to be back in their own
country. According to Suthep, the Hmong had received land
from GOL and Thai officials were permitted to visit them to
check on their condition. The Ambassador told Suthep that
the U.S. still had not been granted access to the Hmong, as
had been promised by Laos via the RTG prior to December 28
return. In addition, in view of the fact that the Hmong
would likely remain in Laos longer than had been discussed
prior to the return, Washington and the international
community had concerns about the safety of the returnees. As
such, Thai assistance in pressuring the GOL to honor the
promise of access and the timeline for resettlement would be
helpful. Suthep said he planned to visit Laos soon and
offered to assist with USG efforts in Vientiane regarding the
Hmong.


3. (C) A/S Shapiro during a January 14 meeting told Vice
Minister of Foreign Affairs Panich Vikitsreth that the U.S.
had been very disappointed with the RTG decision to return
the Hmong to Laos. The list of the "screened-in" population
was important as it would help the USG to follow up on the
safety of the Hmong. Panich referred the request to Royal
Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, and expressed RTG surprise
with a January 13 op-ed on the U.S. position on the Hmong by
the Ambassador. The DCM, who accompanied Assistant Secretary
Shapiro to the meeting, said that the Embassy stood by the
piece and told the VFM that the decision to return the Hmong
might trigger strong Congressional reaction.


4. (C) During a January 14 meeting, Assistant Secretary
Shapiro and the Ambassador reiterated the importance of the
USG request for the list of "screened-in" Hmong to Ministry
of Defense Permanent Secretary General Apichart Penkitti.
General Apichart said that Thailand had coordinated closely
with Vientiane to insure that the Hmong would be treated well
and that the RTG would continue to follow up to make sure
that this would remain the case.


5. (C) A/S Shapiro January 15 raised USG concern for the
Hmong and the U.S. request for the "screened-in" list with
Royal Thai Armed Forces Chief of Defense Forces General
Songkitti Jaggabatra. General Songkitti promised that the
list would be provided to the U.S. soon. The Royal Thai
Armed Forces was following the situation closely and had sent
a representative to Paaksan in Laos in order to insure that
the Hmong were treated well. Songkitti said that the Lao
Hmong would have access to better educational facilities than
other Lao communities and would be able to live in freedom in
their home country.


6. (U) Assistant Secretary Shapiro cleared this cable.
JOHN