Cablegate: Asean-Us Issues

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS HANOI 000520

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/RSP AND EAP/BCLTV

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID VM ASEAN
SUBJECT: ASEAN-US ISSUES

REF: A. DEVILLAFRANCA/BELLARD E-MAIL 3/4/03 B. HANOI 0115

1. (U) This is an action request: see para 5.

2. (U) ICM: MFA ASEAN Department Deputy Director General
Tran Ngoc An confirmed on March 5 to Pol/C that ASEAN had
agreed to hold the initial Informal Coordinating Mechanism
(ICM) meeting in Vientiane during the afternoon of March 28,
following the ISG CBMs meeting. Representatives on the
ASEAN side will come from Vietnam (current coordinating
country), Thailand (incoming coordinating country), and the
ASEAN Secretariat, as well as from any other ASEAN countries
that would like to join. Following e-mail exchanges with
EAP/RSP and the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN concurs with
proposed draft agenda as below:

-- Review of initial ASEAN Cooperation Plan (ACP) projects
(US lead): Information and Communication technology;
Agriculture Biotechnology; Health; Disaster Response;
Training for ASEAN Secretariat Staff

-- Counterterrorism Cooperation (US lead)

-- Discussion of Future Cooperation (ASEAN lead)

-- ASEAN Cooperation with other Dialogue Partners (ASEAN
lead)

-- Preparation for the ASEAN-US Dialogue meeting (ASEAN
lead)

-- Discussion of next ICM (venue and date).

3. (U) 17th US-ASEAN Dialogue: DDG An said that ASEAN
understood why the US side wished to hold this meeting as
soon after the ARF SOM as possible. ASEAN now proposes to
hold this meeting in Hanoi Saturday/Sunday May 3 and 4,
which will enable participants to take part in the May 1
field trip in Cambodia and use May 2 for a travel day.
Proposed agenda in para 4. ASEAN welcomed the working lunch
with business representatives at the 16th US-ASEAN Dialogue
in Washington and especially wishes to include this feature
this year, perhaps with the US-ASEAN Business Council
inviting US participants and the ASEAN-US Business Council
inviting ASEAN participants. DDG An added that "the more,
the merrier" in terms of the business participants at the
lunch.

4. (U) Draft provisional agenda, 17th ASEAN-US Dialogue
I. Welcoming and opening remarks
II. Adoption of agenda
III. Business arrangements
IV. Working lunch with the ASEAN and US private sectors (if
there are a number of businessmen from US and ASEAN who want
to join)
V. Exchange of Views on ASEAN-US Cooperation
-- Outcome of the 8th ASEAN Summit
-- ASEAN-US Development Cooperation: review of ASEAN-US
Development Cooperation; the Enterprise for ASEAN
Initiative; ASEAN-US Cooperation Plan
VI. Exchange of views on international issues:
-- Security issues: regional security outlook;
international terrorism and other transnational crimes;
South China Sea; Korean Peninsula; The Middle East.
-- Economic issues: economic outlook; trade and
investment; WTO and APEC development.
VII. Future Direction for ASEAN-US Dialogue
VIII. Date and venue of the next meeting.

5. (U) Action request: There will be an ASEAN SOM in
Cambodia Sunday, March 9. If possible, our Vietnamese
interlocutors would welcome US responses to these dates and
proposed agendas, as well as any other feedback, in time to
share with their ASEAN counterparts this weekend. DDG An
and staff will leave Hanoi Friday, March 7. Please advise.
BURGHARDT

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