Cablegate: Malaysia Will Participate in Paris Donors

VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKL #1686 3410906
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 070906Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0342
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0194
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 001686

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR NEA/IPA/BELGRADE, EEB/IFD/ODF/DEMARCELLUS AND EAP/MTS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV AMGT KPAL KWBG IS MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA WILL PARTICIPATE IN PARIS DONORS
CONFERENCE, LEVEL NOT DECIDED

REF: STATE 163955

1. (SBU) Polchief spoke with Assistant Secretary Mohd Adlyn
Mughni Shamsudin in the Malaysian Foreign Ministry's OIC
Division on December 7 and urged Malaysia's full and
constructive participation in the Paris Donors Conference.
Adlyn responded that Malaysia had agreed to attend the
conference. The decision on Malaysia's level of
representation was still under consideration by Prime
Minister Abdullah Badawi and Foreign Minister Syed Hamid
Albar. (Note: We heard separately from a diplomatic source
that Foreign Minister Syed Hamid likely would not go to
Paris. End Note.) Polchief noted the importance of
delivering significant political and economic support to the
Palestinian Authority and argued that Malaysia should try to
exceed its previous levels of assistance to the Palestinians
(roughly $16 million over the past year). Adlyn stated that
Prime Minister Abdullah had been briefed on the issue. The
Malaysian government had not yet made a decision on 2008 aid
to Palestine, but in all likelihood the amount would increase
over that of previous years. Part of Malaysia's support
would take the form of technical assistance and training.

2. (SBU) Adlyn, who joined the Malaysian delegation to
Washington for the Annapolis Conference, said Foreign
Minister Syed Hamid viewed Annapolis as "very positive." The
Foreign Minister and the Malaysian government had not issued
any formal statements following Annapolis.
KEITH

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