ENGAGING POSTS ON THE SECRETARY'S SPEECH ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 002965

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2020
TAGS: ECIN PREL XC XE XU ASEAN APECO ARF
SUBJECT: ENGAGING POSTS ON THE SECRETARY'S SPEECH ON
ASIA-PACIFIC MULTILATERALISM

REF: A. STATE 2597

B. CANBERRA 1090

C. PARTO 112706

D. BANGKOK 2723

E. 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. (U) This telegram is a correction of reftel A and includes
an updated addresee list.


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

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ACTION REQUEST AND KEY OBJECTIVES
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4. (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.

STATE 00002965 002 OF 003


-- 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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5. (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 delivered a policy speech on
Asia-Pacific multilateralism at the East-West Center in
Hawaii on January 12. The speech focused 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.

- 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

STATE 00002965 003 OF 003


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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6. (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.


7. (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.


8. (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.


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