VZCZCXRO4689
PP RUEHPB
DE RUEHPF #0256 0740755
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 140755Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 0022
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 0807
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3207
RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR 0019
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0102

UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 000256 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, ISN/CPI - J. PURCELL, C. GUZMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KNNP KSTC PARM PREL CB
SUBJECT: PSI FIFTH ANNIVERSARY INVITATION - CAMBODIA 
 
REF: A. STATE 23570 
 
     ¶B. 07 PHNOM PENH 1444 
     ¶C. 07 PHNOM PENH 665 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Pol/Ec Chief delivered Ref A invitation to MFA IO 
Director Tuy Ry March 12 at the request of MFA Secretary of 
State Ouch Borith to whom the invitation letter was 
addressed.  Ouch Borith has been a regular interlocutor on 
the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) and post expects 
him to give the invitation serious consideration.  Ry, who 
just assumed his position last month, professed he had not 
been familiar with the PSI.  He inquired about sending a 
small delegation from the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) 
and asked if funding was being made available to support 
their travel or accommodation. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  When asked about Cambodia's ongoing review of a 
proposed PSI ship-boarding agreement (Refs B, C), Ry noted a 
step forward had been taken since January:  the Ministry of 
Defense (MOD) recently sent written comments on the draft 
ship-boarding agreement to the MFA.  (NOTE:  In the past, MFA 
interlocutors said only that the matter was under review in 
the MOD and had been favorably received by the Ministry of 
Public Works and Transport.  END NOTE.)  Ry noted that the 
Cambodian MOD's written remarks indicated MOD ambiguity about 
the agreement.  Earlier, the MFA told us of concerns about 
the notification period and the burdensome requirements this 
placed on interagency coordination.  Ry also asked if any 
other ASEAN nations had signed a ship-boarding agreement, and 
to what extent other ASEANs participated in the PSI.  Ry took 
on board the suggestion that now might be the time to give 
comments, present questions, or seek clarifications on the 
proposed ship-boarding agreement. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  Judging from Ry's reaction, Cambodia is 
eager to be part of the PSI, and to be seen as being part of 
this international coalition in support of nonproliferation. 
Given the MFA's limited budget in a country still among the 
most impoverished, it might be useful to provide funding for 
two RGC officials (likely from the MFA and MOD) for travel 
and accommodation to the PSI anniversary celebration.  Post 
would be pleased to pass to the RGC any additional 
information about the ship-boarding agreement.  If indeed we 
can say that Singapore or other ASEANs have signed 
shipbording agreements, we recommend proposing more formal 
discussions in advance of the PSI anniversary.  The deadline 
of a meeting in Washington in which Cambodia is seen as an 
active participant with the international community may be a 
strong inducement to come to closure on this proposal. 
MUSSOMELI