US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK5017

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 005017 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/BCLTV, EAP/RSP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, TH 
SUBJECT: ASEAN: MFA PUTS SPIN ON MEETING - PUSHES THAI 
UNSYG CANDIDATE 
 
 
1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY: In an unusual move, the MFA summoned the 
diplomatic corps to a briefing on the results of the recently 
completed ASEAN Ministerial, Post Ministerial, ASEAN plus 
Three and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).  The MFA touched on 
Rangoon's decision to forgo its turn as ASEAN Chair, UN 
reform, the East Asia Summit, proposals for an ASEAN Charter 
and ASEAN Defense Ministerial meeting, and readouts of the 
ASEAN plus One sessions.  However, MFA officials spent much 
of the briefing emphasizing Thai Deputy Prime Minister 
Surakiart's bid to become UNSYG.  While ostensibly about 
ASEAN, the MFA's briefing appears to be another attempt to 
create momentum behind Surakiart's candidacy for UNSYG.  END 
SUMMARY 
 
2.  (SBU)  On August 3, the Thai MFA summoned the diplomatic 
corps for a briefing on the outcome of the ASEAN Ministerial, 
Post Ministerial, ASEAN Plus Three and ARF meetings which had 
been held in Vientiane July 25-29.  The briefing was lead by 
Suriya Chindawongse, MFA's ASEAN policy director.  Suriya 
said the briefing had been called to emphasize the "highly 
successful" nature of the ASEAN meetings, and to highlight 
key issues on the ASEAN agenda. 
 
BURMA 
 
3.  (U)  Suriya touched briefing on Rangoon's decision to 
forgo their rotation as ASEAN Chair in 2006.  MFA officials 
distributed copies of the July 26 Statement by ASEAN Foreign 
Ministers announcing that Burma had decided to relinquish its 
turn to be ASEAN Chair.  Suriya emphasized that the decision 
to pass the Chair, while welcomed by ASEAN, was Burma's alone. 
 
UN REFORM 
 
4.  (SBU)  MFA also distributed copies of the July 26 ASEAN 
Foreign Ministers' Statement on UN reform.  Suriya emphasized 
the statement was a "consensus" document, and that ASEAN was 
concerned that the push by "some" countries for a permanent 
seat on the Security Council was divisive and is distracting 
from a comprehensive approach to reform at the UN. 
 
EAST ASIA SUMMIT 
 
5.  (U)  There was a brief discussion on the December 14 East 
Asia Summit (EAS).  Suriya confirmed that the EAS would be 
chaired by ASEAN and that China, Japan, South Korea, 
Australia, New Zealand and India had all met the three 
criteria endorsed by ASEAN for inclusion in the EAS.  Suriya 
noted that Russia had expressed interest in the EAS but that 
a consensus had not been reached within ASEAN and that the 
EU's request for observer status is being considered.  Suriya 
also indicated that ASEAN would press to have the EAS held 
every two years (vice three). 
 
ASEAN CHARTER 
 
6.  (U)  Suriya described ASEAN's "long-term project" of 
building an ASEAN Charter.  Suriya noted that ASEAN was in 
the process of creating an Eminent Persons Group (EPG) to 
provide Charter recommendations to ASEAN in time for the 2006 
summit.  He said the EPG would be made up of mostly former 
leaders of ASEAN countries -- naming former Philippine 
President Fidel Ramos as one possibility. 
 
ASEAN DEFENSE MINISTERIAL MEETING 
 
7.  (U)  Suriya commented on the progress for a proposed 
ASEAN Defense Ministerial meeting.  He said that ASEAN 
members are still "building consensus" on details for a 
Ministerial but there is agreement in principle for such a 
meeting.  Suriya confirmed that Thailand has offered to host 
the proposed Ministerial which they hoped would take place in 
2006. 
 
ASEAN PLUS ONE 
 
8.  (SBU)  MFA provided a brief readout on each of the ASEAN 
plus One meetings.  The July 28 meeting with the U.S. was 
characterized as "positive," with coordination on a range of 
issues.  The Thais emphasized the proposal to develop an 
enhanced partnership with the U.S. and the positive 
contribution that the U.S.'s ASEAN Cooperation Plan made to 
the ASEAN Secretariat.  Suriya noted that ASEAN had urged the 
U.S. to work on a region-wide Trade and Investment Framework 
Agreement. 
 
SURAKIART'S UNSYG CANDIDACY 
 
9.  (SBU)  During the briefing MFA officials repeatedly 
referred to Deputy Prime Minister (and former Foreign 
Minister) Surakiart Sathirathai's public campaign to become 
the next UN Secretary General.  Suriya called Surakiart 
"ASEAN's, not Thailand's candidate" and claimed that the 
candidacy had been a topic "in all the meetings."  He said 
that ASEAN members had agreed to a coordinated policy to 
promote Surakiart's bid and that member states would pursue 
the candidacy as "the ASEAN candidate" because "ASEAN 
believes this is Asia's turn." 
 
10.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  MFA's summoning of the entire 
diplomatic corps after a relatively routine ASEAN meeting is 
highly unusual.  In the past, briefings for the dip corps has 
been reserved for issues that require the Thai government to 
offer an explanation for highly controversial events -- most 
recently the issuance of the Emergency Decree that replaced 
Martial Law in far southern Thailand.  For many of the 
diplomats present -- notably representatives from African or 
South American nations -- ASEAN issues are not usually at the 
top of their policy agenda.  While the August 3 briefing was 
ostensibly about ASEAN, it became quickly apparent that the 
command performance was simply a pretext for the Thais to 
continue their push of Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart's 
ambitious bid to become UNSYG. END COMMENT 
ARVIZU