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C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 001576 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G, EAP/ANP AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA COMMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN ASIA PACIFIC 
DEMOCRACY PARTNERSHIP 
 
REF: A. STATE 148559 
     ¶B. CANBERRA 1417 
     ¶C. STATE 131561 
     ¶D. WHITON-COLE E-MAIL OF 10/18/2007 
 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor James F. Cole for reasons 1.4 (b),(d 
). 
 
¶1. (U) Arthur Spyrou, Director of the United Nations and 
Commonwealth Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and 
Trade, confirmed to POLCOUNS during an October 26 meeting 
that Australia was commited to participate in the Asia 
Pacific Democracy Partnership (APDP).  Jonathan Richardson, 
Australia's  High Commissioner to Ghana, who would be 
attending the Community of Democracies meeting in Mali, would 
represent Australia at the proposed November 15 APDP 
breakfast meeting in Bamako and would be prepared to engage 
in a robust exchange of views.  (Australia does not maintain 
a mission in Mali.) 
 
¶2. (C) While Australia viewed the initiative positively and 
believed it had a place among other democracy initiatives in 
the region, Spyrou commented, other countries were concerned 
how the APDP would fit into the regional architecture. 
Spyrou said South Korea, which had invested heavily in the 
CD, had expressed considerable angst to Australia about how 
the APDP would work and its relationship to existing and 
proposed programs.  For example, the South Koreans were 
concerned about how the APDP tracked with a similar 
initiatives developed by Japan and Indonesia.  (Note: Spyrou 
said he had been unable to develop any information about a 
Japanese democracy initiative and would appreciate whatever 
the U.S. could share on this.  End note.)  Spyrou was quick 
to add the South Koreans did not seem to be saying "Put on 
the brakes" but simply flagging the need to proceed with 
caution to avoid stepping on any toes. 
 
¶3. (C) Spyrou noted that Foreign Minister Downer and 
Secretary Rice had shared preliminary thoughts on APDP 
 
SIPDIS 
activities, such as small-scale capacity-building projects, 
during their bilateral meeting on the margins of APEC in 
Sydney in September.  Although the APDP was an American 
initiative, Australia agreed that it would be important to 
identify an Asian country that could take leadership of it, 
Spyrou commented.  He queried whether the United States had 
identified an Asian champion of the program.  POLCOUNS noted 
the United States supported Indonesia hosting the inaugural 
APDP meeting.  Spyrou said Australia would strongly endorse 
Indonesia, which had conducted democratic elections and which 
would have the added advantage of helping to bring along the 
other ASEAN members.  It would be particularly important to 
generate high-level buy-in to the APDP before the end of the 
year, he observed, otherwise participation would be relegated 
to lower-level officials, guaranteeing that he initiative 
would be "stillborn."  In regard to specific projects, it 
would be desirable to give countries "ownership" of projects 
they suggested, a tactic that the UN was increasingly 
embracing, Spyrou added. 
 
¶4. (C) On the question of APDP membership, Spyrou noted, 
South Korea favored a restricted membership, at least 
initially, in order to avoid contending with "difficult" 
countries whose commitment to democracy was questionable. 
For Australia's part, he added, the membership question could 
be reserved for later discussion.  Likewise, he said, it 
would be best to set aside for now the China-Taiwan question, 
which may develop a head of steam. 
 
¶5. (C) Spyrou said Australia planned to play a role in 
helping to allay regional concerns about the APDP.  He 
invited U.S. views on other possible roles for Australia in 
advance of the Parnership's launch, adding the caveat that 
the caretaker status of the Australian government in advance 
of the November 24 federal election meant the GOA would be 
constrained from agreeing to any major new policies or 
programs. 
 
 
MCCALLUM