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OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHC #5580/01 1751854
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O 241831Z JUN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
INFO RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 065580 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ARF EAID TH ID PK IN
SUBJECT: REPORT: ARF FINALIZES VISION STATEMENT, ADVANCES 
INSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVES AT SENIOR OFFICIALS MEETING 
 
Ref: Bangkok 1246 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Senior officials, including U.S. Ambassador for 
ASEAN Affairs Scot Marciel, from ASEAN Regional Forum's (ARF) 27 
members met to finalize negotiations on a draft Vision Statement, 
approve other institutional proposals, and discuss various regional 
security issues in Phuket, Thailand on May 20.  The near-final Vision 
Statement reflects the consensus-based, gradualist approach of ARF's 
diverse membership.  Outside of the much-discussed U.S.-proposed 
Model Arrangement for Use of Foreign Military Assets in Disaster 
Relief, ARF Senior Officials endorsed other institutional proposals 
in the fields of disaster relief, counter terrorism and transnational 
crime.  Additionally, officials discussed North Korea, Burma, 
Afghanistan/Pakistan, and Iran. END SUMMARY 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
ARF'S MODEST VISION STATEMENT DRAFT FINALIZED 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶2. (SBU) ARF Senior Officials, including Ambassador Marciel, focused 
their May 20 discussions on the negotiation and finalization of a 
draft Vision Statement.  Having delayed tabling a draft until moments 
before the opening of a April 21-22 working-level ARF meeting, 
Thailand had initial difficulty in gaining strong support for its 
lengthy, muddled draft.  Ambassador Marciel, along with counterparts 
from some ASEAN and non-ASEAN countries, stressed the need for a more 
focused and forward-leaning Vision Statement appropriate for 
Ministerial endorsement.  Many delegations favored a U.S.-tabled, 
shorter revision of the original Thailand draft.  However, none 
seemed comfortable shelving the original Thai draft that ASEAN had 
earlier supported.  While ARF Senior Officials continued discussion 
of other matters, Thailand chaired a separate working-level drafting 
session to iron out differences.  Senior officials ultimately 
endorsed the key elements of that draft.  The final draft is a 
slightly clearer yet still modest delineation of ARF's 
consensus-based and gradualist principles, endorsed a wide-ranging 
agenda on both traditional and non-traditional security issues, and 
called for an implementation plan to be approved at next year's ARF. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ DISASTER RELIEF 
EXERCISE, OTHER INITIATIVES BRIEFED 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
¶3. (SBU) The Philippines, along with the United States, briefed on 
the ARF disaster relief exercise, termed Voluntary Demonstration of 
Response (VDR).  Participants welcomed the initiative as an example 
of tangible, concrete cooperation by ARF on an important 
transnational security issue.  On the margins, Japan appears likely 
to announce its intention to serve as a co-sponsor of the next ARF 
disaster relief exercise.  Indonesia is still considering its role as 
possible host, perhaps conducting an ARF exercise combined with the 
late 2010 annual ASEAN disaster relief exercise in Indonesia. 
 
¶4. (U) A number of other institutional and security cooperation 
concepts were advanced, updated, and discussed.  Notable items 
include: 
 
--Model Arrangement for the Use of Foreign Military and Civil Defense 
Assets (MCDA) for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (United 
States, Indonesia): Senior officials held an extensive discussion on 
the U.S. draft concept paper and text for the Model MCDA Arrangement 
initiative.  While some delegations welcomed the document, others 
such as India, Pakistan, and Indonesia (who had committed to serve as 
co-sponsor) continued to express reservations.  The Thai chair ruled 
that unless objections are expressed in writing to the Thai Chair by 
mid-June, the proposal will be considered as endorsed by ARF Senior 
Officials, ready for approval by ARF Ministers on July 23, and ready 
for negotiations on a draft text during next inter-sessional year. 
The Model Arrangement is designed to produce a consensus text for ARF 
governments to use as a starting point for bilateral negotiations 
involving sensitive legal and policy issues regarding the 
introduction of foreign military focuses into disaster relief 
situations. 
 
--Standardized Annual Security Outlook (ARF Unit): The ASEAN 
Secretariat's ARF Unit has been tasked by ARF Ministers to 
standardize and streamline the voluntary, annual submissions by ARF 
members of their security perceptions.  With ASEAN still mulling over 
the Secretariat's proposed draft, the Annual Security Outlook 
template will be considered next inter-sessional year. 
 
--Working Methods Paper (ARF Unit): The ARF Unit submitted a revised 
paper designed to consolidate several institutional reform 
initiatives.  These include press engagement, streamlining ARF's 
meeting structure, and leadership by designated members over specific 
subject areas.  Senior officials made some minor adjustments to the 
 
STATE 00065580  002 OF 003 
 
 
working methods for final approval by ARF Ministers. 
 
--Preventive Diplomacy Work Plan (ARF Unit, New Zealand): Delegations 
discussed how ARF could better make use of the recommendations of a 
2008 Study on Preventive Diplomacy, including the utility of crafting 
a preventive diplomacy work plan.  ARF's official Track Two process, 
the ARF Expert and Eminent Persons, will produce such a draft. 
 
--Work Plan on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) 
(United States, ARF Unit): An updated version of the U.S.-proposed 
CTTC Work Plan was distributed.  New project ideas and nominations 
for leadership positions were included. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
NORTH KOREA AND OTHER SECURITY ISSUES DISCUSSED 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
Thai Permanent Secretary Virasakdi Futrikul chaired a session where 
senior officials delivered prepared interventions on a number of 
pressing issues affecting the regional security situation. 
 
¶5. (U) KOREAN PENNINSULA: Most delegations expressed deep concern 
over the DPRK's April 5 launch of a long-range rocket and its 
subsequent expulsion of IAEA personnel.  All stressed that the 
peaceful resolution of the DPRK nuclear issue was vital to regional 
security.  They urged continued support and full participation by the 
DPRK in the Six-Party Talks, the disablement of DPRK's nuclear 
programs, and full compliance by the DPRK with the UN Security 
Council Presidential Statement.  The Japanese and North Korean 
delegations had a heated exchange on the issue. 
 
¶6. (U) BURMA: Following a standard briefing by Burma on its political 
and humanitarian situation, most delegations focused on the need for 
genuine political dialogue and reform within Burma.  ASEAN was 
commended for its role in the Tripartite Core Group facilitating 
relief assistance to Burmese victims of Cyclone Nargis.  The meeting 
urged Burma to cooperate with the international community UN Special 
Representative Ibrahim Gambari in making progress toward democratic 
reform and national reconciliation.  Ambassador Marciel also 
discussed U.S. views on the situation in Burma, including the U.S. 
policy review, and had a brief exchange with his Burmese counterpart 
on these issues (Ref A). 
 
¶7. (U) IRAN, AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN, NONPROLIFERATION, OTHER ISSUES: 
The United States expressed serious concern about Iran's continued 
pursuit of a nuclear weapons program, and urged Iran to comply fully 
and without delay with its international nonproliferation 
obligations.  The U.S. delegation also spoke to its willingness to 
engage directly with Iran on this issue.  Other delegations, 
including the EU, Japan, Australia, and Canada voiced similar 
concerns.  A number of delegations pressed the need for greater 
reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan and stability in the 
Afghanistan-Pakistan border region and the bilateral relationship. 
Pakistan welcomed the recent Friends of Pakistan meeting and pledged 
continued efforts to eradicate extremism.  A number of delegations 
also spoke to the importance of the region, including ARF, combating 
transnational and non-traditional security threats such as disasters, 
maritime insecurity, terrorism, transnational crime, peacekeeping 
challenges, and climate change.  Some delegations raised the need for 
greater cooperation on nonproliferation and disarmament matters in 
the lead-up to the 2010 Nonproliferation Review Conference and 
welcomed the recent statement from President Obama on the issue. 
Recent military actions in Sri Lanka, security implications of the 
global financial crisis, instability in the South China Sea, the 
Middle East, and Australia's proposal for streamlining regional 
architecture were also briefly noted by some delegations. 
 
¶8.  UPCOMING ARF ACTIVITIES: 
--ARF Workshop on Laboratory Bio-Safety and Bio-Security, Manila, 
Philippines, June 10-11 [co-chairs: US, the Philippines] 
--1st Inter-Sessional Meeting (ISM) on Non-Proliferation and 
Disarmament, Beijing, China, likely July 1-3, 2009 [co-chairs: United 
States, China, Singapore] 
--ARF Peacekeeping Experts Meeting, June 23-24, Siem Reap, Cambodia 
[Japan, Cambodia] 
--16th ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial, Thailand, July 23, 2009 
[Thailand] 
--9th ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting (ISM) on Disaster Relief, Honolulu, 
Hawaii mid-September 2009 [co-chairs: United States, Thailand] 
 
¶9. (U) POC: The POC for questions or follow-up is EAP/RSP Kevin 
Sheives (sheiveskw@state.gov, 202-647-1217).  This report, a copy of 
the finalized Vision Statement, and other background information on 
ARF and U.S. participation in ARF can be found at: 
http://eap.state.gov/EAPOffices/RSP/ARF.cfm 
 
¶10. (SBU) COMMENT:  Many delegations, especially within ASEAN, were 
unwilling to fundamentally redirect ARF's pace and agenda through the 
 
STATE 00065580  003 OF 003 
 
 
Vision Statement or set out a forward-leaning "vision" for ARF's 
future.  Reflecting ASEAN's leadership style, the Thai Chair's 
risk-averse approach narrowed the chance that the Vision Statement 
would be the vehicle for a major reevaluation of the institution's 
purposes and mandate.  The near-final text nonetheless contains many 
positive elements sympathetic to the U.S. views on prioritizing 
transnational security.  However, the draft remains unfocused and 
still includes mandates for a gradualist approach to less successful 
traditional security and preventive diplomacy measures.  The 
compromise text reflects the mixed viewpoints from ARF's 27 diverse 
members. The recent successful ARF disaster relief exercise and other 
modes of cooperation on transnational security matters suggest that 
ARF will most likely develop incrementally, focused in areas of 
common interest.  Fundamental changes will be difficult to achieve. 
CLINTON