VZCZCXRO4427
PP RUEHAG RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHROV
DE RUEHBS #3194/01 2921507
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 191507Z OCT 07
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 003194 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2017 
TAGS: PREL EUN XB
SUBJECT: EUROPEAN COMMISSION DISCUSSES SOUTHEAST ASIA ISSUES 
 
 
Classified By: A/Political Chief Vincent Carver for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
 (d) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: According to our contacts in the European 
Commission (EC), the EC's top priorities on Burma are to keep 
attention and pressure focused on the regime and to continue 
to press ASEAN for meaningful engagement. In the Philippines, 
the EU is considering options for providing technical 
assistance to the Qvernment on extrajudicial killings and 
continues to watch for progress on the peace process in 
Mindanao.  The EC has abandoned its plans for an election 
monitoring mission in Thailand, and is exploring ways to 
support judicial reform and progress on rule of law issues in 
southern Thailand.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Burma 
------ 
 
¶2. (C/NF) We discussed a range of issues with Commission SE 
Asia Unit Head Seamus Gillespie and Andreas List, Daniele Dal 
Molin, and Thomas Gnocchi, EC Principal Administrators for 
Burma, the Philippines and Thailand, respectively (please 
protect).  EC officials said that the EU's top priorities on 
Burma are to keep attention focused on the Burmese regime and 
to maintain pressure on the ASEAN members and other regional 
actors. The danger, said List, is that in five years, the 
international community will simply refer to this period as 
the "unrest of 2007," much as we currently refer to the 
events of 1988 without having seized any opportunities. List 
expressed the view, shared by some of our Council Secretariat 
contacts, that while sanctions were important, it will be 
necessary to devise a longer-term plan that takes advantage 
of the level of international attention generated by the 
regime's crackdown.  The EU is currently considering how to 
move forward constructively, specifically in terms of 
leveraging upcoming summit meetings with ASEAN, China, and 
India. Gillespie noted that some member states would be 
hesitant to take more strict measures involving Burma's 
regional neighbors, such as targeting international banking 
links, but this could be the only meaningful way of exerting 
real pressure on the regime. 
 
¶3. (C/NF) After EU Ministers issued October GAERC conclusions 
that some officials and commentators viewed as somewhat weak, 
member states are reportedly beginning to recognize the 
incoherence of EU initiatives that range from sanctions and 
disengagement to visits and proposed envoys.  The Gambari and 
UN tracks seem to be the most effective options in the near 
term, according to EC interlocutors, and the EC would welcome 
U.S. views on how to support UN envoy Gambari's engagement 
and keep the UN process on track. 
 
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Philippines 
------------ 
 
¶4. (C) Gillespie and Dal Molin explained that the EU is 
currently examining ways to provide support to assist the 
Philippines in dealing with the problem of unlawful killings. 
 Member states have reacted favorably to a recent joint 
EC-Council report outlining potential technical assistance 
options in areas of investigation, prosecution, witness 
protection, judges, and civil and human rights organizations. 
 Concern remains, however, that any such assistance would 
provide only limited benefit without progress being made on 
what Gillespie described as "endemic structural problems." An 
EU needs assessment team that visited the Philippines earlier 
this year cited lack of coordination and shifting 
accountability among law enforcement, absence of solid 
forensic evidence procedures, weak witness protection, and a 
general malaise among civil society as hurdles in the way of 
sustainable progress. Recognizing these issues affect the 
most sensitive issues of national sovereignty, Gillespie said 
that the EU is trying to devise a way to engage delicately 
with the government to deal with these structural weaknesses 
to ensure thQ any more specific technical assistance has a 
meaningful and sustainable impact.  EC officials expressed a 
desire to continue cooperation with the U.S. on this issue 
and would be open to advice on how to further engage the 
local authorities as they launch their programs. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Briefly turning to Mindanao, Dal Molin noted that 
the EU continues to follow the peace process with interest, 
and has pledged 12 million Euros to the international trust 
fund. Member states would be willing to step up their 
assistance when they see clear progress toward a peace 
agreement. 
 
BRUSSELS 00003194  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
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Thailand 
--------- 
 
¶6. (C) Gillespie said that the EC was concerned that the 
current challenges in Thailand could be enhanced during the 
election season, and remained worried that the rise in 
nationalist sentiment following the coup could prove to be a 
long-term trend.  Officials noted that the EU abandoned its 
efforts to send an election monitoring mission to Thailand 
after the GOT refused to sign an MOU for the mission. 
Gillespie and Gnocchi said that the situation was 
unfortunately blown out of proportion, and the idea was 
conceived to provide validation that the country was back on 
track in the probable case of a fair election. Gillespie 
added that the Commission was treading a fine line with 
member states who were divided on the EU's level of 
involvement, with many of them opposed to treating Thailand 
in the same way as Laos or Cambodia, for instance. 
 
¶7. (C) The Commission has also been engaging with Thai 
authorities on security programs for southern Thailand. 
Initial contacts with the Ministries of Justice and Education 
as well as with the Royal Thai Police were positive, said 
Gnocchi, but in a move the EC sees as an attempt to delay 
progress, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has insisted that 
future communication from the EU be channeled through the 
MFA. Recognizing that the Thai government was unenthusiastic 
about outside actors in the south, the EC thus shifted its 
focus to non-state actors and is working on small programs 
with NGOs and academic institutions to support judicial 
reform and informed debate on the future of southern 
Thailand.  They are examining options to do further training 
in Bangkok as well as considering working with other local 
partners. 
 
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ASEAN and other actors 
----------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) Gillespie noted that CommissioQs also preparing for 
the EU's November 22 summit with ASEAN. The two organizations 
are currently working on the joint action plan language which 
will focus on trade, cultural cooperation, and immigration. 
The Burma issue remains the wild card for the summit, but 
viewed positively, Burmese attendance could provide an 
opportunity for the EU to exert collective pressure on the 
regime.  Gillespie added that the EU is watching the 
development of the ASEAN charter with interest.  The EC 
perceives the fate of the charter as a litmus test for the 
integration project and fears that if momentum on the common 
market is not seized now, the project will fail. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Rounding out the discussion, the EC officials also 
briefly mentioned that they are interested in Indonesia's 
future prospects, particularly within ASEAN and the region 
more broadly. Given the EU's involvement in Aceh, they also 
monitor the peace process closely and are somewhat concerned, 
said List, about the government's weakness and lack of 
economic incentives as potentially damaging the 
sustainability of peace.  He added, however that EC is 
looking for ways to emphasize Indonesia as a model for 
inter-religious and multi-cultural dialogue and cooperation 
in Europe and beyond. 
 
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Comment 
-------- 
 
¶10. (C/NF) The EU's focus SE on Asia historically has been 
limited, but the Asian financial crisis, tsunami, and 
political crises in the region since 2000 have spurred 
increased involvement and attention among EU members. 
Commission officials also credit U.S. and Australian pressure 
to become more engaged in the region with this recent uptick 
in activity and interest.  Because EU member states have 
relatively minimal representation in the region, much of the 
initiative for projects falls to the Commission, and the EC 
in turn many times looks for our expertise and cooperation on 
common challenges and goals.  We see opportunities to provide 
input to help shape the EC's own agenda in the upcoming 
months, particularly on a coordinated course of action on 
Burma and targeted technical assistance in the Philippines. 
 
GRAY 
.