ENGAGING POSTS ON THE SECRETARY,S SPEECH ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 002597

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2020
TAGS: ECIN PREL XC XE XU ASEAN APECO ARF
SUBJECT: ENGAGING POSTS ON THE SECRETARY,S SPEECH ON
ASIA-PACIFIC MULTILATERALISM

REF: A. A. CANBERRA 1090

B. B. PARTO 112706

C. C. BANGKOK 2723

D. D. TOKYO 2379

Classified By: EAP Acting A/S Joseph Donovan, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) This is an ACTION REQUEST. See paras 3, 4, and 7.


2. (C) SUMMARY: The Secretary will deliver a January 12
policy speech at Hawaii's East-West Center, articulating
U.S. views toward multilateral cooperation in the
Asia-Pacific. The speech will focus on U.S. "principles"
for multilateral cooperation and the importance of the
U.S. role in regional institutions. The Department wants
to preview this speech for key countries. END SUMMARY.

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ACTION REQUEST AND KEY OBJECTIVES
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3. (U) The below is an action request for BANGKOK, BEIJING,
CANBERRA, HANOI, JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR, MANILA, NEW DELHI,
TOKYO, SEOUL, SINGAPORE, and WELLINGTON. Action addressees
should make the following points to appropriate officials:


-- Underscore broad U.S. commitment to multilateral
approaches to solving global and regional problems.

-- Note the Secretary's January 12 policy
speech on "principles" for multilateralism in the
Asia-Pacific region.

-- Suggest that the United States plans to consult further
on the issue of strengthening multilateral cooperation in
the Asia-Pacific region. Note that the Department
welcomes host country's views on the U.S. role in
regional institutions.

-- Avoid taking any U.S. position on current regional
architecture reform proposals such as the Asia-Pacific
Community and East Asia Community concepts.

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POINTS FOR HOST GOVERNMENTS
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4. (U) The following provides background for host
governments on the Secretary's speech and subsequent U.S.
policy review and planned regional consultations. The
points in this paragraph may be distributed as a non-paper:

BEGIN POINTS FOR HOST GOVERNMENTS

-- Secretary Clinton will deliver a policy speech on
Asia-Pacific multilateralism at the East-West Center in
Hawaii on January 12. The speech will focus on
"principles" for how the United States hopes regional
cooperative institutions will evolve.

-- These principles articulate the U.S. views that:

- The United States' alliances are the cornerstone on
which we build our engagement in the region.

- Regional institutions should advance common
objectives of security, broad-based prosperity, and
political openness.

STATE 00002597 002 OF 002


- The United States will encourage regional institutions
to pursue concrete goals, to be appropriately resourced,
and will also seek to bolster existing regional institutions
such as ASEAN and APEC.

- Regional institutions should be inclusive, flexible
and transparent.


-- These principles and the intent expressed by President
Obama in November during his speech at Tokyo's Suntory
Hall form the basis for U.S. discussions of our policies
toward multilateral institutions in the Asia-Pacific.

-- The United States plans to continue to consult closely
with key countries in the coming months.

-- We would be interested in hearing your views on the
U.S. role in regional institutions.

END POINTS FOR HOST GOVERNMENTS.

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BACKGROUND
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5. (C) The USG is discussing approaches to multilateral
cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Regional
attention to this issue, efforts to strengthen existing
institutions, and regional ideas for new groupings have
all spurred this inquiry. As a first step, the United
States is interested in hearing views from regional
powers, allies, and friends.


6. (C) While still asserting strong U.S. engagement on
this issue, we plan on taking a less prescriptive approach
to this issue than others currently developing concepts
and proposals. There has been mixed, and at times
negative, reaction to Australia's Asia-Pacific Community
idea and Japan's East Asia Community concept. Although
these ideas emanate from key allies, and highlight
regional attention to this issue, Embassies should be
careful to avoid taking any U.S. position on current
regional architecture reform proposals such as the
Asia-Pacific community and East Asia Community concepts.
In regards to the President's comments in November while
in Japan on more formally engaging ASEAN on EAS, the
implications of this are still being discussed by USG
officials.


7. (U) Department requests posts report back host
government reactions prior to January 22, 2010.
Department welcomes continued reporting on host
governments' broad views toward multilateral institutions
in the Asia-Pacific region. POCs for this action are
EAP's David Rodriguez, Nirav Patel, and Kevin Sheives and
S/P's James Green.


8. (U) Department appreciates posts' assistance in this
matter.
CLINTON