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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 PARTO 000014 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SENV ECON SOCI OVIP CLINTON HILLARY XC
SUBJECT: SECRETARY CLINTON'S JULY 23 MEETING WITH LOWER 
MEKONG MINISTERS 
 
REF:  EMBASSY HANOI-EAP/MLS E-MAILS JULY 21, 
      2009 
 
PARTO 00000014  001.2 OF 009 
 
 
¶1.  (U) July 23, 2009; 4:30 p.m.; Phuket, Thailand. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Participants: 
 
U.S. 
The Secretary 
Ambassador Eric John 
EAP A/S Kurt Campbell 
Deputy Chief of Staff Jake Sullivan 
EAP DAS Scot Marciel 
Spokesman Ian Kelly 
Lt GEN Paul Selva, Military Advisor to the Secretary 
Greg Smith, National Wetlands Research Center Director, US 
Geological Survey 
Stan Ponce, Central Region Director, US Geological Survey 
Brett Blackshaw (EAP/MLS Notetaker) 
 
CAMBODIA 
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Hor Namhong 
Kao Kim Hourn, MFA Secretary of State for ASEAN Affairs 
Ambassador to Thailand Eng Roland 
You Ay, MFA 
Chet Narin, MFA 
Nuon Chivon, MFA 
Yung Chansophea, MFA 
Chuk Bunna, MFA 
 
LAOS 
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisioulith 
Vice Foreign Minister Bounkeut Sangsomsak 
Assistant Foreign Minister Alounkeo Kittikhoun 
Ambassador to Thailand Ouan Phommachack 
Khiene Phansourivong, DG for ASEAN Affairs, MFA 
Khenthong Nuanthasing, DG for Press Affairs, MFA 
Phongsavanh Sisoulath, DDG for ASEAN Affairs, MFA 
Khampone Vongsanty, Economic Affairs, MFA 
Viengxay Thammavong, Economic Affairs, MFA 
 
THAILAND 
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya 
Vice Foreign Minister Panich Vikitsreth 
Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, Secretary to FM Kasit 
 
PARTO 00000014  002.2 OF 009 
 
 
Chitriya Pinthong, Deputy Permanent Secretary, MFA 
Apichart Chinwanno, Deputy Permanent Secretary, MFA 
Arjaree Sriratanaban, Counsellor for Information, MFA 
Supark Prongthura, Counsellor for ASEAN Affairs, MFA 
Kamolwan Sriposil, ASEAN Affairs, MFA 
 
VIETNAM 
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem 
Assistant Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh 
Ambassador to ASEAN Vu Viet Dung 
Nguyen Hong Cuong, DG for ASEAN Affairs, MFA 
Pham Hai Binh, DDG for Policy Planning, MFA 
Nguyen Minh Vu, Policy Planning, MFA 
Hoang Thuy Duong, DDG for Economic Affairs, MFA 
Tran Duc Binh, DDG for ASEAN Affairs, MFA 
Nguyen Nam Cuong, International Cooperation, Office of 
Government 
 
¶3.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  In the first-ever ministerial meeting 
between the United States and the countries of the Lower 
Mekong (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam) on July 23, 
2009, Secretary Clinton emphasized U.S. interest in 
strengthening engagement on common cross-border concerns 
-- especially in the areas of environment, health, and 
education.  The four Foreign Ministers welcomed the 
Secretary's initiative to boost ties with the Mekong 
countries, especially in those areas, as part of 
revitalized U.S. engagement with the ASEAN region.  The 
Ministers pledged support for initiatives announced by the 
Secretary on climate change and river management, 
including a partnership between the Mekong and Mississippi 
River Commissions, and "Forecast Mekong," a project to model 
the impact of climate change and damming on food 
security and the ecology of the Mekong basin.  Vietnam and 
Laos suggested infrastructure as another area for 
cooperation.  The Secretary proposed that the United States 
and Lower Mekong countries meet annually.  Vietnam offered to 
host a second Ministerial on the margins of the next ARF 
in July 2010.  END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------------- 
RENEWED U.S. ENGAGEMENT 
----------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Secretary opened the meeting by emphasizing 
 
PARTO 00000014  003.2 OF 009 
 
 
U.S. interest in deepening engagement with the countries 
of the Lower Mekong region on common, cross-border issues, 
especially in the areas of environment, health, and 
education.  She noted the "historic" nature of the 
gathering, as the first Minister-level meeting between the 
United States and Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam as a 
grouping.  The United States values its bilateral ties with 
each country, she said, but also recognizes that the 
countries of the Mekong face distinct common challenges as a 
region, including those linked to the river and its resources. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The Foreign Ministers of all four Mekong 
countries welcomed the Secretary's initiative to meet with 
them as a group.  They noted that the U.S. initiative was 
"very timely" (Vietnam), "an excellent complement to 
existing frameworks" in the Mekong region (Cambodia), and 
"a clear indication of U.S. commitment to strengthen ties 
with ASEAN" (Laos).  Thai Foreign Minister Kasit, noting 
his longtime support for a greater U.S. role in the 
region, said he was "so pleased the United States is now 
connecting to the Mekong -- the very lifeline of Southeast 
Asia." 
 
-------------------------------- 
CLIMATE CHANGE, RIVER MANAGEMENT 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Secretary stressed the importance of the 
Mekong river as a "sustaining force" for mainland 
Southeast Asia, and a direct source of livelihood for the 
more than 60 million people who live along it.  Yet the 
resources and ecology of the river are increasingly at 
risk, she said, due to rising sea levels, glacial melt, 
and decisions on river management, such as plans to dam 
the river's main stem. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The United States has grappled -- and is 
grappling -- with similar challenges in the Mississippi 
river basin, the Secretary noted.  This common experience 
provides a natural basis for partnership.  She then 
announced two initiatives to work with the Lower Mekong 
countries in this area: 
 
-- an agreement between the Mekong River Commission and 
the Mississippi River Commission to pursue a "sister-river" 
 
PARTO 00000014  004.2 OF 009 
 
 
partnership to share expertise on the management of trans- 
boundary water resources, climate change adaptation, water 
demand and food security, hydropower and impact assessment. 
(NOTE:  The two Commissions signed a Letter of Intent on July 
29 agreeing to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding, 
including a plan of action, within six months.  END NOTE); 
 
-- "Forecast Mekong," a project led by the U.S. Geological 
Survey (USGS) in collaboration with Mekong country experts 
to model and assess the future impact of climate change 
and other challenges on the Mekong river's food security, 
ecology, and economic livelihood. (NOTE: Following the 
Secretary's comments, Dr. Greg Smith of the U.S. 
Geological Survey gave a 6-minute video presentation to 
introduce the project, emphasizing that it will be based 
on partnerships with Mekong country universities, 
government agencies, and other experts through USGS' 
existing Delta Research and Global Observation Network 
(DRAGON) Partnership.  END NOTE) 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Hurricane Katrina taught the United States some 
painful lessons about the unintended consequences of river 
management and changing climate in the Mississippi Basin, 
the Secretary said.  America hopes to learn from the Mekong 
countries, she added, and to help ensure that they do not 
have to relive the difficulties we experienced in the 
Mississippi. 
 
----------------------------------- 
BUILDING ON MEKONG-MISSISSIPPI TIES 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) All four Lower Mekong Ministers welcomed closer 
cooperation with the United States on climate change and river 
management, including issues related to hydropower.  They 
praised plans for a partnership between the two River 
Commissions, and for Mekong experts to work with USGS to 
develop the Forecast Mekong project.  All agreed that the 
common challenges of the Mekong and Mississippi offered a 
strong basis for partnership with the region. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Thai FM Kasit highlighted several areas where 
collaboration could be most useful:  determining how much 
of the river's flow comes from rainfall and how much from 
glacial melt in China's Tibetan/Qinghai Plateau; the 
 
PARTO 00000014  005 OF 009 
 
 
relationship between the tributaries and the main stem of 
the river; setting rules to govern trans-boundary/multi- 
jurisdictional river management; sustainable development of 
the river delta; flood control; and the role of dams (both for 
power and irrigation). 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Vietnamese Deputy PM Khiem suggested exploring 
cooperation on conducting environmental impact assessments, 
and improving hydro-meteorological technology for weather 
forecasting (to better predict tropical storms).  Cambodian 
Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong emphasized fisheries as a 
priority. 
 
-------------------------------- 
HEALTH AND EDUCATION COOPERATION 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU) The Secretary highlighted infectious disease as 
another challenge that spans national boundaries and which the 
United States and Mekong countries can work well together. 
Vietnamese Deputy PM Khiem urged closer cooperation at the 
regional level to more effectively deal with epidemics. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Khiem and Cambodian Deputy PM Hor Namhong welcomed 
U.S. interest in exploring new areas for cooperation in 
education.  Khiem urged closer ties between the United States 
and the Mekong countries at the university level, especially 
to promote environmental expertise and boost the skills (what 
he called "software") needed to manage the expanded trade 
infrastructure in the Mekong region.  Lao Deputy PM Thongloun 
said his government also would be keen to explore closer 
infrastructure development in future U.S.-Mekong discussions. 
 
¶14.  (SBU) The Joint Press Statement and Fact Sheet, issued 
after the meeting (full text in paras 18-19), highlight 
existing U.S.-Mekong collaboration on health and education 
programs and U.S. plans to hold Mekong-focused conferences on 
"Integrated Approaches to Infectious Disease" and "The 
Internet, Education and Development." 
 
--------- 
FOLLOW-UP 
--------- 
 
¶15.  (SBU) To follow up, the Secretary proposed that the 
 
PARTO 00000014  006 OF 009 
 
 
five countries "set a schedule for an annual meeting" in 
order "to keep our work focused and moving forward."  She 
noted that holding the event on the margins of ARF was 
"probably a good idea," as a matter of convenience. 
(NOTE:  After the meeting, Vietnamese officials reiterated 
their government's offer to host a second U.S.-Lower 
Mekong meeting at the Ministerial level in July 2010 on 
the margins of the next ARF meeting in Hanoi, as conveyed 
via dipnote to Embassy Hanoi on July 21 -- see reftel). 
 
¶16.  (SBU) The Secretary added that the United States "should 
establish a working group of technical experts to consider 
steps going forward."  She agreed that the U.S and Mekong 
countries should explore some of the education and human 
resource ideas mentioned (e.g. by Vietnam) and encourage a 
meeting of the Mekong and Mississippi River Commissions to 
move their partnership ahead. 
 
¶17.  (SBU) In response to a suggestion from Thai FM Kasit, the 
Secretary added that the United States will "coordinate with 
the Japanese" in advance of the Ministerial (and possibly 
Summit-level meeting) that Japan plans to hold with the Mekong 
countries before the end of 2009.  The Secretary also welcomed 
Kasit's suggestion that the United States explore how the 
Mekong Training Institute for Research and Development in Khon 
Kaen, Thailand, might be used to reinforce U.S.-Mekong 
cooperation.  Kasit added that the Lower Mekong Committee of 
the UN's Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the 
Pacific (ESCAP), based in Bangkok, offered a good source of 
data for understanding the Mekong region. 
 
--------------------- 
JOINT PRESS STATEMENT 
--------------------- 
 
¶18.  (U) The following Joint Press Statement, endorsed by 
all five delegations, was issued after the meeting. 
 
Begin text: 
 
JOINT PRESS STATEMENT OF THE U.S.-LOWER MEKONG MINISTERIAL 
MEETING 
 
Following is the text of a joint statement by the United 
States, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam issued on July 
 
PARTO 00000014  007 OF 009 
 
 
23, 2009, in Phuket, Thailand. 
 
The U.S. Secretary of State and the Foreign Ministers of the 
Lower Mekong Countries -- Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam 
-- held the first-ever U.S.-Lower Mekong Ministerial Meeting 
today in Phuket, Thailand, to discuss issues of common 
interest, particularly in the areas of the environment, health, 
education, and infrastructure development. 
 
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton underlined the 
importance of the Lower Mekong region and its individual 
countries to the United States and America's commitment to 
advancing peace and prosperity in the ASEAN region as a whole. 
The Ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam welcomed 
the closer cooperation by the United States with the countries 
of the Lower Mekong region on issues of regional significance 
of mutual interest to ensure sustainable development and 
prosperity in the Mekong region. 
 
The Ministers discussed shared priorities, including 
understanding the impact of climate change and how to respond 
effectively; fighting infectious disease; expanding the use of 
technology for education and development, especially in rural 
areas; as well as developing infrastructure. 
 
The Ministers reviewed ongoing joint efforts in these areas, 
and agreed to explore new areas of cooperation. 
The Ministers welcomed, in particular, the initiative of the 
Mekong River Commission and the Mississippi River Commission 
to pursue a "sister river" partnership to share expertise and 
best practices in areas such as climate change adaptation; 
flood and drought management; hydropower and impact assessment; 
water demand and food security; water resource management, and 
other common concerns. 
 
The Ministers agreed that senior officials and experts would 
discuss specific activities for cooperation and follow-up. 
 
End text. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
FACT SHEET ON U.S.-LOWER MEKONG COOPERATION 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶19.  (U) The following Factsheet, outlining U.S. collaboration 
 
PARTO 00000014  008 OF 009 
 
 
with the Lower Mekong countries in the areas of environment, 
health and education, was issued by the Department after the 
meeting. 
 
Begin text: 
 
FACT SHEET 
 
U.S Collaboration with the Lower Mekong Countries on the 
Environment, Health and Education 
 
On July 23, the first-ever group meeting of the U.S. Secretary 
of State and the Foreign Ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand 
and Vietnam took place in Phuket, Thailand to highlight the 
increasing cooperation between the United States and the Lower 
Mekong countries in the areas of the environment, health and 
education.  Some activities currently underway include: 
 
Environment 
----------- 
 
The U.S. will spend more than $7 million in 2009 on 
environmental programs in the Mekong Region.  Programs in this 
area include: 
 
--Development of "Forecast Mekong," a predictive modeling tool 
to illustrate the impact of climate change and other 
challenges to the sustainable development of the Mekong River 
Basin. 
 
--An agreement between the Mekong River Commission and the 
Mississippi River Commission to pursue a "sister-river" 
partnership to improve the management of trans-boundary water 
resources. 
 
--Support for projects that promote the sustainable use of 
forest and water resources, preserve the tremendous 
biodiversity of the Mekong Basin, and increase access to safe 
drinking water. 
 
--The United States. is seeking Congressional approval for an 
additional $15 million in 2010 for assistance related to 
improving food security in the Mekong countries. 
 
 
PARTO 00000014  009 OF 009 
 
 
Health 
------ 
 
U.S. assistance to the Mekong countries in the health field 
will total over $138 million in 2009, and focus on the 
following areas: 
 
--HIV/AIDS:  Working in partnership with Mekong countries, 
ongoing U.S. assistance has contributed to the 50 percent 
reduction in HIV/AIDS infection rate in Cambodia, and provided 
treatment and prevention services to over 2 million people 
across the region. 
 
--Pandemic influenza:  The U.S. has provided $95 million since 
2006 to support ongoing programs in Mekong countries to 
prepare for, and respond to threats from, outbreaks of 
pandemic influenza. 
 
--Malaria and tuberculosis:  U.S. assistance supports the 
tracking, identification and treatment of multi-drug resistant 
malaria and TB in the Mekong region. 
 
--Plans to hold a "U.S.-Mekong Conference on Integrated 
Approaches to Infectious Disease" in the next 6-9 months. 
 
Education 
--------- 
 
U.S. assistance in the area of education for 2009 totals $16 
million, including: 
 
--Support for more than 500 student and scholarly exchanges 
with Mekong countries each year through the Fulbright Program 
and other educational programs. 
--Support for increasing basic education enrollment and 
expanding broadband Internet connectivity in rural communities. 
 
--Plans to hold a "U.S.-Mekong Forum on the Internet, 
Education and Development" to promote best practices and 
regional collaboration on the use of internet connectivity to 
foster development. 
 
End text. 
CLINTON