Cablegate: Exchanging Defense Attaches with Laos

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVN #0840 3200622
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 160622Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1648
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 7546
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 2890
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 1920
RHMFIUU/CDR JPAC HICKAM AFB HI
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS VIENTIANE 000840

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS (BESTIC)
STATE FOR EAP/RSP (RUNNING)
DOD FOR OSD-POLICY (STERN, SHUBERT)
DOD FOR DSCA (JENKINS)
PACOM FOR J52 (MILLER, LACY)
PACOM FOR J45 (NICHOLLS
PACOM FOR POLAD (MCADEN)
JPAC FOR MUNIPALLI
BANGKOK ALSO FOR DEFENSE ATTACHE
HANOI ALSO FOR DEFENSE ATTACHE
PHNOM PENH ALSO FOR DEFENSE ATTACHE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: LA MARR MASS MOPS PREL APER
SUBJECT: EXCHANGING DEFENSE ATTACHES WITH LAOS

REF: A. STATE 88478
B. VIENTIANE 0725
C. VIENTIANE 0790

(U) The Embassy seeks Washington action to establish a
Defense Attache position in Vientiane in response to the
offer to exchange defense attaches delivered during the visit
of a senior Lao military official to the United States in
June (ref a). The Lao intention to exchange defense attaches
was confirmed during the visit to Vientiane of DOD OSD-Policy
Lao Desk Officer Tom Shubert in September (ref b) and again
during Bilateral Defense Talks held in Vientiane in October
(ref c). Establishing a defense attache position in
Vientiane has been a USG objective for many years and is
clearly in USG interests. The opportunity to do so should be
acted upon in a timely manner. The Embassy looks forward to
receiving an NSDD-38 request in the near future.
HUSO

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