VZCZCXRO4236
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHC #4383/01 1930049
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 110038Z JUL 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBD/AMEMBASSY BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN IMMEDIATE 7408
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK IMMEDIATE 3977
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 1664
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 1740
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO IMMEDIATE 3787
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA IMMEDIATE 8972
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI IMMEDIATE 4954
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI IMMEDIATE 7101
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 5024
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA IMMEDIATE 0496
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR IMMEDIATE 9299
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA IMMEDIATE 7164
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 2622
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 8997
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 1474
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH IMMEDIATE 8114
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY IMMEDIATE 0985
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE 8011
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE IMMEDIATE 8768
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 5107
RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR IMMEDIATE 6151
RUEHVN/AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE IMMEDIATE 3243
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON IMMEDIATE 5600
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
INFO RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 074383 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID ARF ASEAN KNNP PARM
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: UPDATING ARF ON REGIONAL DISASTER 
PREPAREDNESS 
 
REF: A. STATE 64400 B. STATE 59706 C. FOLEY-EMBASSY 
     EMAILS 
 
¶1. (U) This is an ACTION REQUEST for Embassies BANGKOK, 
BEIJING, CANBERRA, COLOMBO, DILI, DHAKA, HANOI, ISLAMABAD, 
JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR, MANILA, MOSCOW, NEW DELHI, OTTAWA, 
PORT MORESBY, PHNOM PENH, SEOUL, SINGAPORE, TOKYO, 
ULAANBATTA, USEU BRUSSELS, VIENTIANE, WELLINGTON. 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
¶2. (U) Department requests that posts seek host government 
views on the inclusion of strong language focused on 
regional disaster preparedness in the upcoming ASEAN 
Regional Forum (ARF) Chairman's Statement.  Many 
governments agreed with the elements of the original U.S. 
proposal for a stand-alone ARF Ministerial Statement on 
Regional Disaster Preparedness. (REF A) However, several 
felt there was too little time to negotiate the text.  The 
U.S. has agreed to the suggestion that this instead be 
incorporated into the Chairman's Statement.  The ARF 
Chairman's Statement will be issued by the Singapore Chair 
following the July 24 ARF Ministerial.  We expect this 
section of the Chairman's Statement would express support 
for further ARF civil-military coordination including 
multilateral exercises, the further development of an ARF 
Standby Arrangement System, the creation of an ARF Status 
of Forces Template (SOFA) for disaster relief, and the 
creation of a Workplan for Regional Disaster Prepar 
edness.  This instructions cable and non-paper updates U.S. views 
given to some, 
but not all, ARF countries included on this action request 
(ref A). Additionally, the Department requests that 
Embassy Islamabad follow up with Pakistan regarding their 
views on two key U.S. proposals pending in ARF. 
 
---------- 
OBJECTIVES 
---------- 
¶3. (U) Departments instructs Embassy to pursue the 
following objectives with appropriate host government 
officials: 
 
(For COLOMBO, DILI, DHAKA, ISLAMABAD, KUALA LUMPUR, 
MOSCOW, PORT MORESBY, PHNOM PENH, ULAANBATTA, VIENTIANE) 
 
--Persuade host government that, in response to recent 
natural disasters in Asia, ARF and its members need to 
respond appropriately. 
 
--Seek host government support for a section of the ARF 
Chairman's Statement focused on furthering ARF disaster 
preparedness efforts. 
 
--Inquire about host governments' reactions to the key 
elements of the proposed ideas: further civil-military 
coordination, a revived ARF Standby Arrangement System, an 
ARF SOFA Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR) 
Template, and a new ARF Workplan for Regional Disaster 
 
STATE 00074383  002 OF 004 
 
 
Preparedness. 
 
(For BANDAR SER, BANGKOK, BEIJING, CANBERRA, HANOI, 
JAKARTA, MANILA, NEW DELHI, OTTAWA, SEOUL, SINGAPORE, 
TOKYO, WELLINGTON, USEU BRUSSELS) 
 
--Deliver this latest non-paper, an updated version of the 
non-paper distributed via ref A.  Department would 
appreciate any further reactions from host governments to 
the key elements of the proposed language. 
 
(ISLAMABAD only) 
 
--In addition to the above objectives, approach 
appropriate host government officials about their views on 
two, key U.S. proposals awaiting their feedback: An ARF 
Inter-Sessional Meeting (ISM) on Nonproliferation and 
Disarmament and an ARF Counter Terrorism and Transnational 
Crime (CTTC) Workplan. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
Paragraphs 4 and 5 may be delivered as a non-paper to host 
governments. 
 
¶4. (U) THE UTILITY OF AN ARF RESPONSE TO RECENT EVENTS: 
When regional security crises arise, ARF needs to respond 
with appropriate solutions.  Recent natural disasters in 
Burma and China again underscore the need to further 
prepare for and coordinate multilateral civil and military 
assistance to affected populations.  The region has made 
progress since the devastating 2004 tsunami and the 
multilateral assistance that followed.  However, further 
training, technical assistance, and coordination in 
advance of disasters remain a need.  Originating from the 
mandates of the 2006 ARF Statement on Disaster Management 
and Emergency Response, ARF provides a key venue for this 
type of cooperation.  The United States proposes to 
enhance ARF's efforts in disaster preparedness in the 
stages before a disaster strikes.  This requires more 
effective coordination both among ARF members, with ASEAN, 
and with other regional and UN-system responders. 
 
¶5. (U) Key Elements of a section on regional disaster 
preparedness in the ARF Chairman's Statement: 
 
--The below information reflects notional ideas the United 
States would like to see incorporated by Ministers into 
the 15th ARF Chairman's Statement rather than a separate 
ARF ministerial statement focused only on disaster 
preparedness.  We welcome the views of ARF members, 
especially the Singapore Chair, on specific language. 
 
--GREATER CIVIL-MILITARY COOPERATION: Ministers reinforced 
their strong support for ARF's continued role in 
civil-military coordination for disaster responses.  In 
full support and not in place of civilian responses, 
military assets and personnel have played an increasingly 
important role in regional disaster responses.  ARF civil 
and military agencies will improve coordinated responses 
through training, information sharing, and multinational 
exercises. 
 
--A COMBINED ARF and ASEAN STANDBY ARRANGEMENT SYSTEM: 
 
STATE 00074383  003 OF 004 
 
 
Ministers agreed to revive the effort to develop an ARF 
Standby Arrangement System.  A 2006 ARF Statement on 
Disaster Management approved the development of an ARF 
Standby Arrangement System (SAS).  This effort should be 
further examined, complement ASEAN's own efforts, and 
align more closely with the UN and NGO disaster relief 
system.  ARF and ASEAN should also explore how they can 
further complement, or even combine such arrangements. 
Further discussion within ARF and ASEAN would also be 
useful to define the relationship of the ASEAN 
Humanitarian Assistance Center with current ARF efforts. 
 
--ARF SOFA HA/DR TEMPLATE: Ministers endorsed the 
recommendation from the May 1-2 ARF Disaster Relief 
Desktop Exercise to develop an ARF Status of Forces 
Arrangements (SOFA) Template for Humanitarian 
Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR).  This pre-written template could 
be utilized by militaries in the event of disasters and save valuable 
time in moments of extreme need.  The ARF SOFA HA/DR Template would 
not serve as a 
multilateral agreement or treaty among ARF militaries to 
operate on one another's soil.  Based on bilateral 
decisions between assisting and receiving countries, these 
countries may also not require the use of SOFAs in the 
event of military assistance to natural disasters. 
Rather, the template would form the basis for temporary, 
bilateral arrangements between receiving countries and 
assisting militaries as they see fit.  The ARF SOFA HA/DR 
Template could be included in future versions of the ARF 
Strategic Guidance Document for HA/DR.  The template 
should be focused on the short-term deployment o 
f specific military assets toward HA/DR assisting 
efforts.  ARF could also utilize the existing template 
found in the Oslo Guidelines to form the basis for its 
draft. 
 
--ARF WORKPLAN FOR REGIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: 
Ministers endorsed the creation of a new workplan to help 
coordinate certain ARF-wide or sub-regional training for 
disaster preparedness.  Perhaps initially drafted by one 
or all of the ARF Disaster Relief Shepherds, the workplan 
would encompass ARF disaster preparedness activities and 
sub-regional activities for which members seek ARF 
assistance.  Furthermore, a workplan would more 
effectively coordinate ARF's interactions other regional 
and international efforts.  The framework for the workplan 
would be developed next ARF inter-sessional year. 
 
--ARF DISASTER RELIEF EXERCISE: The U.S. and Philippines 
plan to announce their firm agreement to conduct an ARF 
Disaster Relief Exercise, termed Voluntary Demonstration 
of Response, possibly in mid-2009.  We hope to give ARF 
members more information on the exercise during the July 
23 ARF Defense Officials Dialogue.  We will seek further 
Ministerial approval of the exercise beyond the 
recognition given by Ministers at the 14th ARF. 
 
¶6. (SBU) ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND for EMBASSY ISLAMABAD only: 
In March 2007, the U.S. proposed the creation of an annual 
ARF meeting, termed Inter-Sessional Meeting (ISM) on 
Nonproliferation and Disarmament, devoted to 
nonproliferation capacity-building in support of UNSCR 
1540 Implementation.  USDEL worked over the past year to 
accommodate Indonesian concerns about how this ISM would 
approach disarmament. During that time Pakistan raised no 
 
STATE 00074383  004 OF 004 
 
 
objections and, indeed, twice indicated to USDEL that it 
supported the proposal. Nonetheless, Pakistan objected to 
the proposal at the May 9 ARF Senior Officials Meeting 
(SOM)on grounds similar to those just resolved with 
Indonesia. Pakistan's proposed changes would create an 
inappropriate focus on nuclear disarmament at the expense 
of nonproliferation work.  Pakistan's comments would also 
exceed the mandate of ARF by calling for the renegotiation 
of UNSCR 1540.  The Singapore Chair reproached Pakistan 
for providing, at the last minute, fundamental changes to 
a proposal that had received broad support after careful negotiation. 
Singapore also expressed the view that the proposal was of 
great importance to the ARF and ASEAN participants (ref 
C).  USDEL gave Pakistan a revised version of the text of 
the concept paper incorporating some, but not all, of 
their comments.  The Department has not received any 
feedback from Pakistan on the acceptability of the new 
text.  Additionally, Pakistan has made comments on the 
U.S. proposal for an ARF Counter Terrorism and 
Transnational Crime (CTTC) Workplan regarding a section of 
the document devoted to bioterrorism and biosecurity.  The 
United States has incorporated many of their comments, but 
has also not received feedback from Pakistan on the 
acceptability of the new text.  Both documents and 
Pakistan's original comments have been sent to post via 
ref B along with additional background. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
POINT OF CONTACT AND REPORTING DEADLINE 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. POC: Please contact EAP/RSP Kevin Sheives at (202) 
647-1217 or ISN/RA Charles Mahaffey at (202-647-6220) for 
any necessary, further background information or 
argumentation to meet these objectives. 
 
¶8. REPORTING DEADLINE: Department requests post report 
back by July 16 or before appropriate host government 
officials leave for the July 17-24 ASEAN and ARF 
Ministerial Meetings in Singapore. 
RICE