VZCZCXRO5366
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHVN #0914/01 3530715
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190715Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1702
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2220
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1212
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNS/COMSOCPAC HONOLULU HI
RHMFIUU/CDR JPAC HICKAM AFB HI
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 VIENTIANE 000914 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS (BESTIC) 
DEPARTMENT FOR PM/WRA (HUTCHENS) 
DEPARTMENT FOR G/AIAG 
DEFENSE FOR ODS-POLICY (STERN, SHUBERT) 
PACOM FOR J-52 (LACY) 
PACOM FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KHDP LA MARR MASS OVIP PREL KFLU CH
SUBJECT: PACOM ADMIRAL KEATING'S VISIT TO VIENTIANE 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  During a December 14 visit to Vientiane, 
Commander of the Pacific Command Admiral Timothy Keating met 
with senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
Ministry of Defense, and National Assembly.  At the Foreign 
Affairs Institute, he addressed students and took questions 
from the press.  Admiral Keating and his Lao interlocutors 
took note of the improving relationship between the U.S. and 
Laos, particularly on military matters, and highlighted the 
importance of continued cooperation on issues of common 
concern including POW/MIA accounting, clearance of unexploded 
ordnance, and combating avian influenza.  Both the Vice 
Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Vice Minister of Defense 
reaffirmed to Admiral Keating the GOL's intent to exchange 
defense attaches in 2008.  The visit was highly successful, 
serving to highlight and move forward our improving 
military-to-military ties.  End summary. 
 
Vice Foreign Minister 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Vice Foreign Minister Phongsavath Boupha began his 
meeting with Admiral Keating by pointing out that the United 
States and Laos are cooperating on many issues, including 
accounting for those missing from the Indochina War years, 
narcotics control, and unexploded ordnance.  He said that 
military relations would be enhanced by the decision to 
exchange defense attaches.  Admiral Keating expressed 
appreciation for the support given by the Government of Laos 
(GOL) to Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) activities. 
He noted an increasing sense of urgency as remains degrade 
over time.  VFM Phongsavath noted the last JPAC field 
excavations had found remains (which have been sent back to 
Hawaii for analysis).  He expressed regret that the Prime 
Minister and Minister of Defense were traveling and therefore 
unable to meet with Admiral Keating. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Admiral Keating complimented the GOL for skillfully 
addressing the challenge of avian influenza (AI) and welcomed 
the GOL's willingness to share information.  It is critically 
important, he pointed out, to monitor even isolated outbreaks 
so the World Health Organization can track AI developments. 
VFM Phongsavath agreed, saying cooperation with the United 
States and the international community had been very 
important as the GOL undertook measures to control this 
year's major outbreak in Vientiane.  Admiral Keating affirmed 
that PACOM is willing to assist any country in the region. 
The Ambassador said that PACOM experts had worked with the 
Lao National Avian and Human Influenza Coordinating Office 
(NAHICO) in August on a training program for more than 130 
Lao officials (half civilian and half military) which helped 
integrate the military into the GOL's strategic plan for AI 
preparations.  The Ambassador pointed out that, in many 
countries, the military has the logistical and organizational 
capabilities which would be critical in dealing with an AI 
pandemic.  VFM Phongsavath thanked the United States for 
donations of personal protective equipment (PPEs). 
 
¶4. (SBU) Regarding the severe problems Laos faces from 
unexploded ordnance (UXO) from the Indochina War years, VFM 
Phongsavath said that, despite contributions by the U.S. and 
other donors, there are not enough resources to solve the 
problem.  The Ambassador mentioned that the two sides, in 
Bilateral Defense Talks in October, had examined the 
possibility of U.S. military training for the Lao military 
for UXO removal.  VFM Phongsavath said that Lao UXO 
specialists are capable of undertaking UXO removal 
successfully with appropriate training, but new equipment is 
needed.  Admiral Keating responded that PACOM would consider 
ways to assist with UXO removal. 
 
¶5. (U) GOL officials accompanying VFM Phongsavath to the 
meeting, which took place at the Lao Plaza Hotel, were 
Ministry of National Defense (MND) Permanent Secretary 
Brigadier General Sisophonh Bangonesengdet; MFA Department 
of Europe and Americas Affairs Director General Southam 
Sakonhninhom; MND Department of External Relations Director 
General Colonel Siphay Meundouang; and MFA Americas 
Division Director Thieng Boupha. 
 
VIENTIANE 00000914  002 OF 004 
 
 
 
Vice Minister of Defense 
------------------------ 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Admiral Keating met with Vice Minister of Defense 
Major General Somphet Thipmala at the Ministry of National 
Defense.  The Vice Minister was accompanied by several senior 
military officials, including Brigadier General Sisophonh 
Bangonesengdet.  General Somphet assumed his current position 
in July; he was previously governor of Vientiane province. 
Admiral Keating thanked General Somphet for the GOL's support 
for U.S. POW/MIA accounting efforts.  He highlighted the 
importance of joint USG-GOL efforts in combating avian 
influenza, noting that, in the event of a pandemic, combating 
the disease will be a multi-national, multi-agency effort. 
He noted that PACOM has established an avian influenza task 
force. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  General Somphet pledged that the GOL would 
continue its support for POW/MIA accounting efforts.  He 
noted that the GOL has a task force dedicated to combating 
avian influenza, overseen by the Prime Minister.  The GOL, he 
said, would be happy to accept any assistance the USG offers 
in this area.  He expressed particular appreciation for the 
provision of protective gear.  General Somphet thanked 
Admiral Keating for PACOM's offer of assistance on English 
language teaching for members of the military.  He said that 
the GOL hopes to set up a defense attache's office at its 
embassy in the U.S. in 2008.  Admiral Keating said that he 
fully supports this initiative and the Defense Department is 
now looking for the best-qualified officer to staff the U.S. 
position. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Admiral Keating said that he was happy to have a 
chance to see General Sisophonh again after meeting him at 
PACOM's Chiefs of Defense conference.  At the conference, all 
of the participants expressed their countries' commitment to 
achieving peace and security in the Pacific region.  It was 
good to see this unity of goals and good to have General 
Sisophonh as a participant, Admiral Keating said. 
 
National Assembly Vice President 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Admiral Keating opened the conversation with 
National Assembly Vice President Dr. Saisomphone Phomvihane 
at the National Assembly by expressing his gratitude for 
Laos' cooperation in support of a full accounting for our 
missing service members.  Admiral Keating stated that he had 
come to Laos to solidify and improve mutual trust and 
friendship between the U.S. and Lao militaries. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Dr. Saisomphone, who is also the Chair of the 
National Assembly's Foreign Relations Committee, responded 
that over past years, cooperation on POW/MIA accounting had 
been outstanding, and that he would seek to continue support 
for this commitment.  He said that cooperation on avian 
influenza (AI) had also been very good, and thanked the 
Admiral for U.S.-provided training in this area.  Dr. 
Saisomphone offered four proposals to enhance U.S.-Lao 
relations: 
 
1) U.S. policy should support Lao access to the U.S. 
Export-Import (EXIM) Bank and increased U.S. investment in 
Laos; 
2) In line with the first point, the U.S. should encourage 
investors and business leaders to travel to Laos and see the 
opportunities available themselves; 
3) The U.S. should continue its support for the POW/MIA 
mission, as the two governments had already agreed; and 
4) The U.S. should increase its assistance on AI in terms of 
both funding and training. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Addressing the last point first, Admiral Keating 
stated that he agreed wholeheartedly that interagency, 
multiple country collaboration is important in resisting the 
spread of AI worldwide.  He noted that Laos had received high 
marks from a number of international bodies, including the 
 
VIENTIANE 00000914  003 OF 004 
 
 
World Health Organization, for its openness on this issue. 
He expressed his appreciation for Laos' support on POW/MIA 
issues. 
 
¶12.  (SBU)   The Ambassador said that, with regard to the 
investment climate in Laos, there are many potential 
opportunities for U.S. investment; the two governments will 
have to work together both to explain these opportunities and 
implement existing agreements.  He observed that recent 
improvements in Laos' economic infrastructure and 
transportation network could lead to more rapid development. 
With regard to the EXIM bank, the Ambassador said that he 
hoped to be hearing news soon. 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  Admiral Keating asked about Dr. Saisomphone's 
views of China as a military and economic power in the 
region.  Dr. Saisomphone said that China's policy in the 
region is clear, its intentions good, and its relations 
friendly with Laos and other Southeast Asian countries.  He 
noted the importance for Laos of trade with China and Laos' 
continuing cooperation with China in the energy sector.  Dr. 
Saisomphone said that Laos has good relations with other 
nations in the region, which he expects will continue.  The 
Admiral said that the U.S. would like to build on these 
relations. 
 
Public Remarks at the Institute of Foreign Affairs 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶14.  (U)  Admiral Keating spoke to an audience of 
approximately 50 at the Institute of Foreign Affairs on the 
importance of regional cooperation to create security and 
stability in the Asia Pacific area.  In addition to students 
from the National University,s International Relations 
Department, the audience included officials from the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, National Institute 
of Social Sciences, and other line ministries. Admiral 
Keating said that all 25 regional military representatives at 
PACOM's recent Chiefs of Defense conference had agreed about 
the importance of peace and security in the region.  Noting 
that he oversees a region that includes 51 percent of the 
globe, he said that his primary responsibility is to protect 
the U.S.  The best way to do this is by not getting into a 
fight.  Admiral Keating said that even countries without a 
coastline are dependent on maritime security, since their 
imports and exports travel by sea. In response to questions 
from the audience, Admiral Keating clarified the role of 
PACOM in protecting shipping in cooperation with law 
enforcement agencies, defined the role of the U.S. military 
in preserving peace and stability through military readiness 
and working with partners and allies, noted the importance of 
halting terrorist activity throughout the region, and 
described the use of military capabilities to respond to 
natural disasters when assistance is requested. 
 
¶15.  (U)  After the presentation, the Admiral gave a short 
interview to journalists from Lao National Radio, Lao 
National Television, and the English language newspaper 
Vientiane Times.  Lao Radio asked Admiral Keating what role 
Laos should play in the region. He said that he expects Laos 
will continue to change and develop rapidly, and that 
regional cooperation will continue. He looks forward to 
improving ties with Laos to promote regional stability and 
security, and said he was pleased to welcome Lao Brigadier 
General Sisophonh Bangonesengdet to the Chiefs of Defense 
conference in Hawaii in October.  Citing ship visits to 
Cambodia and the assistance provided to Bangladesh in the 
wake of the most recent cyclone, Lao Radio asked if the U.S. 
has any plans for humanitarian programs in Laos.  Admiral 
Keating said he hopes to schedule a humanitarian project in 
the future.  Lao Radio asked if PACOM planned to help Lao 
officials develop their foreign language capabilities.  The 
Admiral said that he would promote efforts to have Lao 
officials learn English while U.S. officials learned Lao. 
Asked by the Vientiane Times about the status of Lao-U.S. 
relations, Admiral summed it up by saying &They,re good, 
and getting better.8 
 
 
VIENTIANE 00000914  004 OF 004 
 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶16.  (SBU)  Admiral Keating's visit was highly successful, 
serving as the most visible expression to date of the 
improvement in military-to-military relations between the 
U.S. and Laos over the past year.  Admiral Keating's Lao 
interlocutors, particularly the Vice Minister of Defense, 
appeared pleased by the opportunity to receive such a senior 
U.S. military official.  Both sides reinforced their 
commitment to cooperating in key areas of mutual concern 
including POW/MIA accounting, removal of unexploded ordnance, 
and combating avian influenza.  The high-level expression of 
common commitment to the exchange of defense attaches 
suggests the Lao are prepared to follow through and will 
sustain momentum as the issue moves through the Lao 
bureaucracy. 
 
¶17.  (U)  Admiral Keating has approved this message. 
McGeehan