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RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1586
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RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 000553 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON SN
SUBJECT: EAP DAS ERIC JOHN'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER 
YEO 
 
Classified By: EP Counselor Laurent Charbonnet.  Reasons 1.4(b)(d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Foreign Minister George Yeo and EAP Deputy 
Assistant Secretary Eric John conducted a tour d'horizon of 
Southeast Asia during their February 9 meeting.  FM Yeo said 
the United States' engagement with Indonesia was vital and he 
welcomed the resumption of U.S. ties with the Indonesian 
Armed Forces (TNI).  On Burma, Minister Yeo expressed his 
frustration with the regime, commenting that while the rest 
of ASEAN was moving forward, Burma was moving backwards. 
With the rise of China and India, FM Yeo stressed the 
importance of the United States continuing to play the role 
of "benign superpower" in Southeast Asia.  Vietnam, in 
particular, was interested in being able to use the United 
States (and Japan) "to play off" of China.  DAS John said the 
President and Secretary would be more engaged with ASEAN this 
year and we looked forward to working with Singapore as our 
dialogue partner on the ASEAN-U.S. Enhanced Partnership.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) During his February 8-11 visit to Singapore, EAP DAS 
Eric John, accompanied by the Ambassador, met with Foreign 
Minister George Yeo on February 9.  Septel will report DAS 
John's meetings with other GOS officials. 
 
Indonesia 
--------- 
 
¶3. (C) Reviewing USG priorities in Southeast Asia, DAS John 
told Minister Yeo that Indonesia was the most important -- we 
wanted to build on last year's sea change in our policy.  He 
noted that some members of Congress remained opposed to the 
resumption of military ties with the Indonesian Armed Forces 
(TNI) and would be watching progress on TNI reform and East 
Timor reconciliation closely.  Minister Yeo welcomed the 
resumption of ties; while Indonesian President Yudhoyono 
"could be more active," he had the country moving in the 
right direction.  Indonesia was a "big part of the regional 
puzzle" and FM Yeo said it was vital for the United States to 
be engaged actively with it.  He asserted that Indonesia was 
not well disposed to China and was evaluating the impact of 
China's rise on its own economic development, investment and 
energy needs. 
 
Burma 
----- 
 
¶4. (C) Expressing his frustration with Burma, FM Yeo said the 
rest of ASEAN was moving forward, but Burma was moving 
backward.  He was not optimistic that any positive change 
would occur there soon -- by giving up its chairmanship of 
ASEAN, Burma had no more incentives to behave.  He added 
that, "we are tired of defending them; they don't treat us as 
a member of the family."  Singapore would not, however, cut 
its links with Burma.  Minister Yeo said it was 
understandable that Indian President Kalam had to visit 
Burma; it was a vital buffer state between India and China. 
 
 
China and India 
--------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Taking up a familiar GOS theme, FM Yeo observed that 
China and India were rapidly making up for lost time and were 
joining the international community.  In Southeast Asia, 
Singapore needed to "carve out space" for itself and to 
engage both of these rising powers.  To that end, it helped 
if other powers, notably the United States, were also active. 
 Singapore always feared that the United States would lose 
interest in Southeast Asia and allow "small problems" to 
cloud the big picture.  China was active both bilaterally 
with ASEAN countries and multilaterally.  The stronger China 
grew, however, the more ASEAN countries would want the United 
States to keep playing the role of "benign superpower." 
 
Vietnam 
------- 
 
¶6. (C) The leadership in Vietnam was smart and disciplined, 
observed FM Yeo.  Vietnam could not afford to offend its 
larger neighbor, China.  Vietnam thus wanted to attract the 
 
SINGAPORE 00000553  002 OF 002 
 
 
United States' interest, which would enable it "to play off" 
China against the United States as well as Japan.  Minister 
Yeo claimed that Vietnam was also "keen" on ASEAN 
integration.  DAS John commented that Vietnam had 
methodically built its relationship with the United States 
over the last decade.  While the pace had been slow at times, 
there was never any backtracking.  The President's visit to 
Hanoi for the APEC Summit in November provided a useful tool 
to advance our ties this year. 
 
Cambodia 
-------- 
 
¶7. (C) Democratic development remained a challenge in 
Cambodia, observed DAS John, though the pardon and return to 
Cambodia of opposition party leader Sam Rainsy was a positive 
development.  Commenting on his recent trip to Cambodia, FM 
Yeo said he had urged Prime Minister Hun Sen to do a better 
job managing his ties with the U.S. Congress.  When he 
suggested to Hun Sen that he send FUNCINPEC leader Prince 
Ranariddh as an envoy to Congress, Yeo said a "horrified" 
expression came across his face. 
 
ASEAN 
----- 
 
¶8. (C) The President came away from last November's meeting 
at APEC with the seven ASEAN leaders enthusiastic about 
building ties with ASEAN, noted DAS John.  Reflecting this, 
the President and the Secretary would be more engaged with 
ASEAN this year.  The USG looked forward to working with 
Singapore as its ASEAN dialogue partner to move forward on 
the ASEAN-U.S. Enhanced Partnership, which should put 
U.S.-ASEAN ties on a qualitatively different level. 
Commenting on USG attendance at last year's ASEAN 
Post-Ministerial meeting in Vientiane, FM Yeo said that ASEAN 
should have been pleased with the Deputy Secretary's 
participation, given his work in opening up trade ties with 
the region.  For many ASEAN members, however, symbols were 
more important than substance. 
 
¶9. (U) DAS John has cleared this message. 
HERBOLD