VZCZCXRO6918
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0838 3170816
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 130816Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1356
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 000838 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, PM, EAP/RSP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL CB
SUBJECT:  U.S.-CAMBODIA SECURITY DIALOGUES 
 
REF:  STATE 112900 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
¶1. (U) The U.S.-Cambodia military-to-military relationship has 
expanded significantly in recent years, resulting in enhanced 
security cooperation.  Post's response to reftel's request for 
information on U.S.-Cambodia security dialogues is below. 
¶2. (SBU) The U.S. and Cambodia established an annual Bilateral 
Defense Dialogue (BDD) in August 2008 with a formal meeting between 
USPACOM and the Ministry of National Defense (MoND).  The last BDD 
was held in July 2009 and the next meeting is expected to take place 
in August 2010.  There is an informal understanding that these 
discussions will take place annually, alternating the locations 
between Cambodia and the U.S.  The BDD is a USPACOM-level dialogue 
focusing on operational topics of mutual concern and coordination of 
security cooperation activities.  The BDD illustrates the broadening 
and deepening of the military-to-military relationship and is an 
additional mechanism to further strengthen the U.S.-Cambodia 
bilateral relationship. 
¶3. (SBU) In response to the stronger military-to-military 
relationship, the U.S. and Cambodia established a Security 
Cooperation Coordination Group (SCCG) in September 2009.  The SCCG 
was established by an exchange of memorandums between MoND and the 
Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC).  SCCG is a liaison/coordination 
group that meets regularly   on operational issues involving Theater 
Security Cooperation activity implementation.  The SCCG establishes 
designated Liaison Officers in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces 
(RCAF) for specific areas of security cooperation and is intended to 
enable RCAF to reduce bureaucratic obstacles that heretofore have 
impeded execution of security cooperative activities. 
 
¶4. (SBU) As a result of the September 2009 visit of Cambodian Deputy 
Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Tea Banh to Washington, D.C., 
and his meeting with the Secretary of Defense, a Defense Policy 
Dialogue (DPD) at the Office of the Secretary of Defense-MoND level 
is currently under negotiation.  A Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
Defense will lead the U.S. side at the DPD.  The meetings will occur 
annually, alternating between Cambodia and Washington.  Staff 
officers in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Policy 
Planning Department within the MoND are currently negotiating the 
details concerning the mechanics of the meetings.  The DPD will 
focus at the Strategic level and encompass the full range of U.S.- 
Cambodian military relations, to include regional issues. 
 
RODLEY