VZCZCXRO5116
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1670/01 2480900
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 040900Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9969
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001670 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP (MARCIEL), EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP (SHEIVES) 
SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/APSA 
USPACOM FOR ADM KEATING AND LTG GOODMAN 
NSC FOR E.PHU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MARR MASS ASEAN
SUBJECT: ASEAN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS:  ASEAN SECGEN 
WELCOMES U.S. CONCEPT PAPER 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY:  ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan has 
welcomed the U.S. proposals for ASEAN disaster preparedness 
and expressed confidence that all elements in the proposed 
concept paper can be incorporated into the ARF disaster 
relief exercise that the United States and the Philippines 
are scheduled to host in 2009.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) Mission has received a letter from the 
Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian 
Nations (ASEAN), H.E. Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, welcoming U.S. 
proposals to develop a capability for disaster preparedness 
within ASEAN.  Per Surin's request, the correspondence is 
being forwarded electronically to DAS Ambassador Scot 
Marciel, USPACOM Commander Admiral Timothy Keating and 
Commander of the Joint Task Force Caring Response LTG John 
Goodman.  The text of the letter and a cover letter from the 
ASEAN Secretariat appear below. 
 
¶3. (U) Cover letter ASEAN Secretariat: 
 
BEGIN TEXT 
 
No.213/08 
 
The ASEAN Secretariat presents its compliments to the Embassy 
of the United States of America in Jakarta and has the honor 
to request the latter's kind assistance to forward a letter 
from Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Dr. Surin Pitsuwan to 
the following: 
 
    a. H.E. Mr. Scot Marciel, U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN and 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of State; 
    b. ADM Timothy J. Keating, U.S. Navy, United States 
Pacific Command; 
    c. LTGEN John Goodman, Commander, Joint Task Force Caring 
Response for Nargis, United States Pacific Command. 
 
The ASEAN Secretariat avails itself of this opportunity to 
renew to the Embassy of the United States of America in 
Jakarta the assurances of its highest consideration. 
 
Jakarta, 13 August 2008 
 
/ Seal and Initial / 
 
END TEXT. 
 
¶4.  (U) Letter from Secretary General H.E. Dr. Surin Pitsuwan 
(typographicals errors in the original have been corrected): 
 
Association of Southeast Asian Nations 
Secretary-General 
11 August 2008 
 
BERC/946/ER/US/VOL 1/002 
 
H.E. Mr. Scott Marciel 
U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN 
Deputy Assistant Secretary 
U.S. Department of State 
 
Adm.. Timothy J. Keating 
U.S. Navy, Unites States Pacific Command 
 
Lt. Gen. John Goodman 
Commander, Joint Task Force Caring Response for Nargis 
United States Pacific Command 
 
Excellencies: 
 
SUBJECT: ASEAN Disaster Preparedness and a Role for ARF 
 
I wish to acknowledge receipt of your proposed concept paper 
on the above subject, and to express appreciation to you and 
the U.S. Government for contributions in all efforts to the 
ASEAN disaster response and relief.  The support and 
assistance have significantly contributed to the 
strengthening of ASEAN disaster preparedness within both the 
ARF and the US-ASEAN Enhanced Partnership. 
 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, at the Fifteenth ARF 
 
JAKARTA 00001670  002 OF 002 
 
 
held on 24 July 2008 in Singapore, made a proposal to ARF 
Participants that the U.S. and the Philippines would co-host 
an ARF Disaster Relief Exercise, termed Voluntary 
Demonstration of Response (VDR), in 2009.  In this regard, I 
am of the view that we can integrate all elements mentioned 
in the proposed concept paper into the said multilateral 
exercise in 2009. 
 
I also hope that ASEAN instrument for emerging response and 
disaster relief can be built into the framework of the 2009 
Exercise. 
 
Please accept, Excellencies, the assurances of my highest 
consideration. 
 
/ S / 
Dr. Surin Pitsuwan 
 
END TEXT 
HUME