US embassy cable - 97BANDARSERIBEGAWAN631

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 000631 
 
STATE FOR EAP/PIMBS 
SINGAPORE FOR DATT COL HILL AND SAO LT COL KAUFHOLD 
CINCPAC FOR J-5 AND FPA AMB TEARE 
 
E.O. 12598:  DECL:  07/28/2007 
TAGS:  MARR, PREL, BX 
SUBJECT:  VICE ADMIRAL NATTER'S MEETING WITH THE 
SULTAN OF BRUNEI, JULY 29, 1997 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR GLEN R. RASE, REASONS 
1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
2.  SUMMARY:  SULTAN BOLKIAH EXPRESSED HIS DEEP 
APPRECIATION FOR THE U.S. DEFENSE UMBRELLA IN 
SOUTHEAST ASIA, CHARACTERIZING IT AS ESSENTIAL 
TO THE REGION'S PEACE AND PROSPERITY.  HE ALSO 
EXPRESSED HIS SATISFACTION WITH THE BROADER 
U.S.-BRUNEI BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP.  ADMIRAL 
NATTER EXPLAINED THE USG'S CURRENT DEFENSE 
PROFILE IN ASIA AND EXCHANGED VIEWS ON HOW TO 
IMPROVE SECURITY RELATIONS WITH CHINA.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
3.  AFTER AN EXCHANGE OF PLEASANTRIES, SULTAN 
BOLKIAH COMMENTED ON THE EXCELLENT RELATIONS 
THAT EXIST BETWEEN BRUNEI AND THE U.S.  HE WAS 
PARTICULARLY PLEASED BY THE GROWING 
MILITARY-TO-MILITARY TIES.  THE SULTAN SAID THAT 
HE HAS ALWAYS VIEWED THE U.S. PRESENCE IN 
SOUTHEAST ASIA AS ESSENTIAL TO THE REGION'S 
PEACE AND PROSPERITY.  HE SAID THAT HE WELCOMES 
OUR ROLE IN ASIA AND WAS CERTAIN THAT SOUTHEAST 
ASIA'S OTHER LEADERS SHARE THIS VIEW, IF NOT 
ALWAYS PUBLICALLY. 
 
4.  ADMIRAL NATTER SAID THAT THE USG WELCOMES 
THE OPPORTUNITY TO COOPERATE WITH BRUNEI'S ARMED 
FORCES AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATES BRUNEI'S OPEN 
EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FOR THE U.S. PRESENCE IN 
ASIA.  HE NOTED BY WAY OF EXAMPLE OF THE U.S. 
ROLE THAT U.S. NAVY AND MARINES ARE PREPARED FOR 
ACTION IN CAMBODIA TO PROTECT AMERICAN CITIZENS 
AND TO ASSIST IN EVACUATION IF THAT BECOMES A 
NECESSITY.  THE ADMIRAL ADDED THAT THE IMMEDIATE 
CRISIS NOW SEEMS TO BE OVER AND WE HAVE HAD NO 
NEED TO CALL ON THE NAVY AND MARINES.  BUT THEY 
ARE READY IF NEEDED.  THE SULTAN SAID THAT HE 
VERY MUCH APPRECIATES THE USG'S QUICK RESPONSE 
TO THE RECENT EVENTS IN CAMBODIA. 
 
5.  ADMIRAL NATTER COMMENTED THAT HIS PRIORITY 
AREA OF CONCERN IS MONITORING EVENTS IN NORTH 
KOREA.  HOWEVER, CHINA REMAINS THE ISSUE OF 
LONG-TERM CONCERN.  THE ADMIRAL SAID THE USG 
GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN OUR STRENGTH IN ASIA WHILE 
BUILDING CLOSER, MORE COOPERATIVE TIES WITH 
CHINA.  CHINA REMAINS SUSPICIOUS OF THE U.S. 
MILITARY RELATIONSHIP WITH JAPAN AND SEEMS 
UNWILLING TO BELIEVE THAT OUR AGREEMENTS WITH 
JAPAN LIMIT THEIR NEED TO BUILD AND PROJECT 
GREATER MILITARY STRENGTH -- SOMETHING CHINA 
WOULD NOT WELCOME.  HE ASKED FOR THE SULTAN'S 
VIEWS ON HOW TO WORK WITH CHINA. 
 
6.  THE SULTAN SAID THAT CHINA IS HEAVILY 
FOCUSED ON DOMESTIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND 
WANTS NOTHING TO INTERFERE WITH GROWTH.  THEY 
SEE ANY STRONG MILITARY IN THE REGION AS A 
POTENTIAL THREAT THAT HAS TO BE COUNTERED.  HE 
FELT THAT THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH CHINA'S 
LEADERS IS THROUGH CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT.  IT IS 
IMPORTANT FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA THAT THE U.S. AND 
CHINA (AND JAPAN) WORK TOWARDS MUTUAL 
UNDERSTANDING.  THE SULTAN ARGUED THAT AS CHINA 
GROWS ECONOMICALLY, IT WILL HAVE A GREATER 
INTEREST IN SOUTHEAST ASIA'S STABILITY? 
 
7.  IN CLOSING, ADMIRAL NATTER INVITED THE 
SULTAN TO VISIT ONE OF TWO AIRCRAFT CARRIERS 
THAT WILL BE IN THE REGION OVER THE NEXT TWO 
MONTHS.  SULTAN BOLKIAH SAID HE WOULD BE 
DELIGHTED IF THE TIMING CAN BE WORKED OUT. 
 
8.  THE U.S. ATTENDEES FOR THE MEETING WERE VICE 
ADMIRAL NATTER, AMBASSADOR RASE AND COMMANDER 
PORTER.  THE SULTAN WAS SUPPORTED BY HIS 
MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS, PEHIN ISA (WHO 
TRANSLATED FOR THE SULTAN), ACTING ROYAL BRUNEI 
ARMED FORCES COMMANDER, GENERAL ABIDIN, AND THE 
PERM SEC FOR POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION, PEHIN 
ABDUL RAHMAN. 
 
 
RASE