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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 001215 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS, PRM, H 
PACOM FOR FPA (HUSO) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2015 
TAGS: PGOV PREL TH BURMA LAOS US FTA ASEAN IRAQ
SUBJECT: SENATOR FEINGOLD'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER 
KANTATHI 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce. Reason 1.4 (b) 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY: In a February 20 meeting with Senator 
Russell Feingold (D-WI), Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi 
Suphamongkhon discussed the ongoing violence in southern 
Thailand; ASEAN; the U.S.-Thai FTA; China; and perceptions of 
the U.S.  Senator Feingold emphasized the strong nature of 
the U.S.-Thai relationship and thanked the Thai government 
for cooperation following the 2004 tsunami and for Thai 
assistance in relocating Hmong refugees to the U.S.  However, 
he expressed concern over the case of 27 Hmong children and 
Thailand's Burma policy. END SUMMARY 
 
VISIT HIGHLIGHTS STRONG BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  On February 20, Senator Russell Feingold (D-WI) 
and Ambassador Boyce called on Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi 
Suphamongkhon.  Senator Feingold praised the deep 
relationship between the U.S. and Thailand, and thanked the 
Foreign Minister for past Thai contributions to Afghanistan 
and Iraq.  He noted that the large ethnic Hmong population in 
Wisconsin gave him a special connection to the region. 
Kantathi agreed that joint Thai-U.S. assistance to the region 
following the December 2004 tsunami demonstrated the 
multi-dimensional nature of the U.S.-Thai relationship.  That 
relationship had been positively reaffirmed during Prime 
Minister Thaksin's meeting with the President in September 
¶2005. 
 
SOUTHERN SITUATION REMAINS A DOMESTIC ISSUE 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Senator Feingold asked the Foreign Minister for his 
assessment of the current situation in far southern Thailand. 
 Kantathi noted that five percent of the Thai population was 
Muslim and -- with the exception of the Muslims in the three 
provinces along the Malaysian border -- were well integrated 
into Thai society.  He repeatedly emphasized that the problem 
in the South was a domestic issue and that there was no link 
to international terrorists.  While some of the violence was 
being carried out by separatists insurgents, many attacks 
were being carried out by narcotics traffickers or other 
criminal gangs who were using the insurgency as cover. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Kantathi said the RTG was trying to address the 
violence by arresting and prosecuting identifiable insurgents 
while simultaneously working to counter separatist 
propaganda.  He expressed concern that separatists were 
cynically using religion to manipulate Muslim youth.  To 
counter this propaganda, the RTG was expanding programs that 
emphasize moderate Islam and was focusing on educational 
reforms that emphasize job skills.  "The goal is to make the 
South a place where Buddhists and Muslims can live together 
peacefully."  Many ethnic Malays in the South "feel more 
Malaysian than Thai."  Relations with Malaysia had been 
strained due to the violence and the flight of 131 Thais to 
Malaysian territory in 2005, but were improving.  Thailand 
was reaching out to Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as Middle 
Eastern countries, to bring moderate voices of Islam to the 
region.  The recent visit of Jordan's King Abdullah was part 
of that effort. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Responding to the Senator's inquiries as to the 
progress of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC), 
Kantathi said the government was working with the NRC, but 
cautioned that they would "wait to see if the commission's 
goals matched up to the government's."  The Senator expressed 
concern over reports of extrajudicial killings.  Kantathi 
acknowledged that there had been instances where individual 
local police and soldiers had used unnecessary violence -- 
citing the Krue Se Mosque incident of April 2004 as an 
example.  The government was working to rein in these rogue 
elements while maintaining law and order in the region. 
 
HMONG REFUGEES - CONCERN OVER 27 CHILDREN 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Senator Feingold thanked the RTG for previous 
cooperation in the resettlement of Lao Hmong refugees from 
Thailand to the U.S., but expressed concern over the 27 Hmong 
children who had been separated from the families in Thailand 
and returned to Laos.  Kantathi said they were working 
closely with Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavat on 
the issue of the 27 children.  The Lao were very sensitive 
about the issue and Somsavat was personally "upset" over the 
U.S. handling of the children.  Kantathi insisted that the 
children would be brought back to Thailand as "a temporary 
measure."  He was concerned that the children and other 
resettlement efforts were acting as a "pull-factor" that was 
encouraging illegal immigration into Thailand.  Senator 
Feingold and the Foreign Minister agreed that continued 
cooperation and a common message from the RTG and USG were 
important to resolve this issue. 
 
BURMA - CONCERN OVER LACK OF PROGRESS 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Senator Feingold expressed concern over the 
situation in Burma -- particularly the continued detention of 
Aung San Suu Kyi -- noting it was an issue that united the 
U.S. Congress.  Kantathi said that Prime Minister Thaksin and 
other ASEAN leaders had been critical of the Burmese regime's 
lack of progress during the recent ASEAN summit and had 
agreed that a Malaysian delegation would go to Burma to check 
on national reconciliation efforts.  Originally the visit had 
been scheduled for January, however, the Burmese had 
postponed the visit.  Kantathi assured the Senator that he 
was working hard to communicate the dissatisfaction of the 
international community to the Burmese regime and would 
continue to use their "open channel" to the Burmese senior 
leadership. 
 
ASEAN - MOVING FORWARD 
---------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Turning to ASEAN, Kantathi said the Enhanced 
Partnership with the U.S. was at the forefront of Thai ASEAN 
policy.  Kantathi said the ASEAN Foreign Minister's meeting 
with Secretary Rice in New York had been very productive. 
ASEAN had committed itself to the creation of an ASEAN 
Community by 2015, instead of 2020, and were proceeding with 
ASEAN Free Trade zone. 
 
FTA - NO MOVEMENT 
----------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Senator Feingold cautioned Kantathi over the lack 
of forward progress on the FTA, noting that many Members of 
congress had reservations about free trade agreements (and 
will have more difficulty supporting an FTA in an election 
season).  Kantathi agreed that both sides were interested in 
a "fair" agreement. 
 
CHINA - A COMPETITOR AND PARTNER 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Kantathi described China as both a potential 
competitor as well as a partner.  The Thais believe that 
China was taking a peaceful approach to the region and that 
the Thai-China relationship was "healthy."  Thailand 
understood that China would continue to grow more 
economically powerful, but believed a resurgent China was not 
a security threat. 
 
PERCEPTION OF THE U.S. - IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  Feingold asked Kantathi how the U.S. was 
perceived in the region.  Kantathi said that overall the U.S. 
had a positive image in Thailand, however, the Thai people 
had mixed feelings about U.S. involvement in Iraq and 
Afghanistan.  Some supported decisive U.S. action, while 
others were concerned that the actions are helping Al-Qaeda 
recruitment efforts.  The RTG was particularly concerned over 
the situation in Iraq.  "We don't see a light at the end of 
the tunnel."  The Thai government would continue to work with 
the U.S., but a future deployment of Thai troops to the Iraq 
or Afghanistan was out of the question due to sensitivities 
over the situation in southern Thailand. 
 
¶12.  (U)  Senator Feingold's office cleared this message. 
BOYCE