US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK5805

UNCLAS BANGKOK 005805 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR G U/S DOBRIANSKI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, EAID, ECON, PREL, SOCI, TBIO, XB, XC, TH 
SUBJECT: THAI RESPONSE TO IPAPI DEMARCHE 
 
REF: STATE 163036 
 
1. Regional Environmental, Science, and Health Officer (REO) 
delivered points in Reftel to Dr. Itti Ditbanjong, Ambassador 
attached to the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and to Ms. Sansanee 
Sahussarungsi, Director of the Division of Economic 
Information of the Department of International Economic 
Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  REO also passed 
the statement of core principles on to the Thailand Ministry 
of Public Health in order to facilitate possible discussion 
of the issue between the two ministries.  On September 9, Ms. 
Sansanee called with several questions regarding the 
formation of the International Partnership on Avian and 
Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI). 
 
2. Ms. Sansanee asked the deadline for Thailand's response. 
She also asked if commitment to participate would comprise a 
commitment to fund activities of the partnership.  She asked 
what other countries have committed to participate.  And she 
asked why this is being directed toward the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs (as opposed to the Ministry of Health). 
 
3. In response to Ms. Sansanee's questions, REO said that the 
U.S. would like to announce the formation of IPAPI during the 
opening sessions of UNGA on September 14.  The U.S. is not 
looking for financial commitments at this time, but rather an 
acceptance of the "core principles" and a commitment to 
participate.  Meetings will be held on the margins of UNGA 
and will be followed by other Senior Officials Meetings to 
establish committees and develop action plans.  The U.S. 
would like to see broad global participation in IPAPI. 
Canada, Japan, the U.K., and Australia have already committed 
to participation.  The U.S. especially would like to see 
early participation by countries directly affected by avian 
influenza, including Thailand, Indonesia, China, Kazakhstan 
and others, and we would particularly hope for Thailand's 
assistance in persuading other ASEAN countries to join. 
While we recognize that Thailand's Ministry of Public Health 
and Ministry of Agriculture have already been collaborating 
closely with U.S. agencies in Thailand (CDC and the Foreign 
Agriculture Service), this initiative aims to engage the 
foreign ministries of various countries in the problems 
associated with avian influenza because international 
cooperation in matters of diplomacy and political issues, in 
confronting a potential avian flu pandemic, is as important 
as international cooperation in the more obvious human and 
animal health issues. 
 
4. Ms. Sansanee replied that she thought the initiative to 
cooperate in this way would be a worthwhile endeavor.  She 
was uncertain, however, whether Thailand would be able to 
make a formal commitment to participate in IPAPI by a 
September 14 deadline. 
 
5. Note: The Economic Counselor at the Embassy of Japan in 
Bangkok spoke with Ms. Sansanee about IPAPI on September 7. 
He told REO that Ms. Sansanee at that time said that the 
Ministry of Public Health would be taking the lead on any 
avian flu related issues.  In her conversation with REO, Ms. 
Sansanee appeared to be convinced of the value of MFA 
involvement.  Mission will report as we hear of any further 
developments in the Thai response. 
ARVIZU