ADMIRAL HARDISTY'S MEETING WITH SULTAN OF BRUNEI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 00834


SINGAPORE FOR USDAO - COL SHORT

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: MARR PREL BX
SUBJECT: ADMIRAL HARDISTY'S MEETING WITH SULTAN OF BRUNEI

REF: (A) BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 786 (B) STATE 331452


1. CONFIDENTIAL ENTIRE TEXT.


2. SUMMARY: USCINCPAC ADMIRAL HARDISTY MET WITH
SULTAN OF BRUNEI 21 NOV TO DISCUSS PROSPECTS FOR
MODEST EXPANSION OF U.S.-BRUNEI MILITARY RELATIONS.
OTHER TOPICS COVERED WERE PHILIPPINE BASE NEGOTIATIONS,
U.S.-SINGAPORE AGREEMENT, SULTAN'S VISIT TO U.S.
AIRCRAFT CARRIER, AND GULF CRISIS. END SUMMARY.


3. USCINCPAC ADMIRAL HARDISTY CALLED ON SULTAN OF
BRUNEI 21 NOV, ACCOMPANIED BY AMBASSADOR PHILLIPS,
USCINCPAC FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR KILLION AND
NOTETAKER. BRUNEI CHIEF OF ARMED FORCES STAFF MGEN
SULAIMAN WAS PRESENT.


4. AFTER SULTAN'S WELCOME, ADMIRAL HARDISTY SAID HE
APPRECIATED OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AGAIN AFTER LAST
CALL IN AUG 1989. ADMIRAL REVIEWED HIS RECENT DIS-
CUSSIONS IN MANILA WITH MILITARY AND POLITICAL
LEADERS, INCLUDING FOREIGN SECRETARY MANGLAPUS AND
PRESIDENT AQUINO WHO HAD ASKED HIM TO CONVEY GREETINGS
TO THE SULTAN. THE ADMIRAL NOTED THAT PRESIDENT AQUINO
WAS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR A NEW BASES
AGREEMENT SATISFACTORY TO BOTH SIDES.


5. THE SULTAN SAID HE WAS VERY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT
THE GOOD PROSPECQFOR A BASES AGREEMENT. HE SAID
HE HAD MET WITH MANGLAPUS AT THE TOKYO ENTHRONEMENT
CEREMONIES TO DISCUSS REGIONAL ISSUES, AND ALSO
NOTED TOKYO SIGNING OF A SINGAPORE-U.S. FACILITIES
AGREEMENT BY VICE PRESIDENT QUAYLE FND P.M. LEE
KUAN YEW. ADMIRAL HARDISTY REPLIED THAT THE MODERATE
INCREASE IN U.S. PRESENCE AND ACTIVITIES IN SINGAPORE
WILL DEMONSTRATE OUR INTEREST AND COMMITMENT TO THE
REGION, ANT COMPLEMENT, WITHOUT IN ANY WAY REPLACING,
FACILITIES AVAILABLE INN E PHILIPPINES.


6. THE SULTAN STATED THAT BRUNEI WOULD BE HAPPY TO
ALLOW THE U.S. NAVY AND AIR FORCE GREATER ACCESS TO
BRUNEI FACILITIES. ADMIRAL HARDISTY DREW ON DEPART-
MENT'S TALKING POINTS FOR RESPONSE (REFTELS). HE
NOTED THAT A MODEST INCREASE IN OUR EXERCISE AND
TRAINING ACTIVITIES WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AND IN OUR
MUTUAL BEST INTERESTS. SULTAN INDICATED HIS
UNDERSTANDING, BUT DID NOT PURSUE DISCUSSION. (SEE
SEPTEL ON ADMIRAL HARDISTY MEETING WITH FOREIGN
MINISTER FOR DETAILS ON BRUNEI'S RESPONSE.)


7. THE SULTAN ASKED ABOUT U.S. PLANS FOR FUTURE FORCE
LEVEL REDUCTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES. ADMIRAL
HARDISTY OUTLINED CURRENT PROJECTIONS, INCLUDING
OUR FUTURE WITHDRAWAL OF THE FIGHTER SQUADRONS FROM
CLARK, AND THE OUTLOOK FOR CLARK AND SUBIC IN TERMS
OF OUR ON-GOING TALKS WITH THE REPUBLIC OF THE
PHILIPPINES. HE REVIEWED NUNN-WARNER REDUCTIONS
THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND INDICATED THE REDUCTIONS
WERE BASED ON THE NEW STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT. HE
THEN ASSURED THE SULTAN THE U.S. INTENDED TO RETAIN
A FORWARD PRESENCE FOR OUR BENEFIT AS WELL AS THAT
OF OUR FRIENDS AND ALLIES. THE SULTAN STRESSED THAT
U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE IS STILL OF VITAL IMPORTANCE
TO BRUNEI, TO ASEAN, AND TO MOST NATIONS OF THE
REGION.


8. SHIFTING TO THE GULF CRISIS, ADMIRAL HARDISTY
REFERRED TO U.S. DECISION TO CONTINUE OUR BUILD-UP.
THE U.S. WELCOMED BRUNEI'S INITIATIVE TOGETHER WITH
SINGAPORE IN PROVIDING RELIEF SUPPLIES AND OTHER
ASSISTANCE TO TRAPPED REFUGEES, AS WELL AS BRUNEI'S
CONDEMNATION OF IRAQ AND CONTINUED STRONG SUPPORT
FOR UN SANCTIONS. THE SULTAN SAID BRUNEI'S COURSE
WAS CLEAR IN THIS CRISIS, AND WAS CONCERNED THE
SITUATION LOOKED INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS.


9. ADMIRAL HARDISTY NOTED THAT ON HIS LAST VISIT
THE SULTAN HAD EXPRESSED INTEREST IN AGAIN FLYING OUT
TO VISIT A U.S. AIRCRAFT CARRIER OFF BRUNEI.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH DESERT SHIELD IT WAS A PROBLEM
FOR ONE OF OUR CARRIERS TO COME IN CLOSE ENOUGH FOR
THE SULTAN TO FLY HIS OWN BLACKHAWK HELICOPTER, WHICH
LIMITED THE TRIP TO ABOUT 100 MILES OFF-SHORE. IF
FLYING OUT IN ONE OF OUR PLANES WAS NOT DESIRABLE
(ARRESTED LANDINGS/CATAPULT LAUNCHES DO NOT
APPEAL TO THE SULTAN),WE WOULD CONTINUE TO TRY TO
WORK SOMETHING OUT.


10. STRESSING OUR CORDIAL BILATERAL RELATIONS,
THE SULTAN CLOSED THE MEETING BY ASSURING ADMIRAL
HARDISTY OF A WARM WELCOME ANY TIME HE MIGHT CHOOSE
TO VISIT BRUNEI IN THE FUTURE. ADMIRAL HARDISTY IN
TURN RESPONDED BY COMPLIMENTING THE SULTAN ON THE
EXCELLENT SHAPE OF BRUNEI'S ARMED FORCES--A FORCE
FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND NATION-BUILDING.


11. ADMIRAL HARDISTY HAS APPROVED THIS MESSAGE.


WOJTASIEWICZ