US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK1507

UNCLAS BANGKOK 001507 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/BCLTV, EB/IFD/ODF, TSUNAMI TASKFORCE 
 
DEPT FOR OES/PCI, OES/IET/ETC/OA/EGC, IO, IO/EDA:SSTOFEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, KUNR, OVIP, SENV, SOCI, TPHY, ID, IN, IR, FJ, TH, ESCAP, Tsunami Reconstruction 
SUBJECT: UNESCAP: May's "High-level" Ministerial to Highlight 
Tsunami Issues 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
-- SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY -- 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMARRY: At the February 24 meeting of UNESCAP's 
(United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and 
the Pacific) Permanent Representatives, Executive Secretary 
Kim Hak-Su announced a High-level Tsunami Panel for the May 
12-18 ministerial that would include select prime ministers 
of tsunami-affected countries and the UN Special Envoy, 
former President Bill Clinton.  Rejecting a handful of calls 
for a more general panel on natural disasters, Kim argued 
that ESCAP would be negligent if it glossed over the tsunami 
disaster when ESCAP is the logical regional forum to address 
it.  We believe that sending a high-ranking US delegation to 
the May conference would send a strong message to the region 
of our continued long-term commitment in the wake of the 
tsunami disaster.  End Summary. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
2.  (U) Executive Secretary Mr. Kim Hak-Su announced a new 
addition for the ministerial segment of the Commission's 
sixty-first annual conference to be held May 12-18, 2005, a 
High-level Panel on Tsunami Recovery Development.  Mr. Kim 
explained that Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono 
had already been invited to sit on the panel, which he 
envisioned would include 4-5 high level people, possibly 
including Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Indian 
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.  He announced his intention to 
invite Former President Bill Clinton, recently announced UN 
Special Envoy for Tsunami-affected Countries by Secretary 
General Kofi Annan, to chair the panel. 
 
3.  (U) The high level Tsunami panel was generally well 
received, though a handful of delegates questioned focusing 
exclusively on tsunamis versus having a more general panel on 
natural disasters.  The Indian Permrep cautioned that with so 
many international tsunami meetings scheduled, countries 
might begin to experience "meeting fatigue."  The Iranian and 
Fijian Permreps, noting their countries' vulnerability to 
earthquakes and cyclones respectively, also raised the 
possibility of a more general disaster panel.  Dr. Kim was 
unwavering; he explained that the Asian Tsunami had occurred 
in the ESCAP region and that the Commission would be 
negligent if it did not specifically address the 
unprecedented disaster which had occurred in its own 
backyard.  Kim implied that a general disaster panel missed 
the point, the world's attention is on the Asian Tsunami and 
ESCAP is the ideal international forum to address it. 
 
4. (SBU) COMMENT:  Dr. Kim has shown he clearly recognizes 
the need to reform ESCAP and make it relevant.  We believe 
the high-level tsunami panel is a capital idea that can help 
raise ESCAP's profile and transform it into an effective and 
relevant force in the region.  And, we believe that sending a 
high-ranking US delegation to the May conference would send a 
strong, high visibility message to the region of our 
continued long-term commitment in the wake of the tsunami 
disaster, and we look forward to working with Washington 
agencies in securing high level U.S. participation.  We will 
continue to provide updates on planning for the May tsunami 
conference.  End Comment. 
 
 
Boyce