US embassy cable - 90BANDARSERIBEGAWAN834

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