Cablegate: Exbs: Thailand/Vietnam Advisor Monthly Reporting

VZCZCXRO9919
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHBK #3268 3050951
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 310951Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4895
RHMFIUU/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHDC
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUCNEXC/EXPORT CONTROL AND RELATED BORDER SECURITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS BANGKOK 003268

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/ECC YWONG, ACHURCH, ROWEN, EAP/MLS
DRICHELSOPH, BBLACKSHAW
CBP/INA FOR BMCCRAY
DEPT OF ENERGY FOR NNSA TPERRY
AMEMBASSY HANOI FOR JBOCKLAGE
AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR FOR PZARESK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TH VN
SUBJECT: EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING
CABLE - OCTOBER 2008

SUMMARY

1. (U) Officials from Thailand and Vietnam attended the Ninth
International Export Control Conference in Croatia, Oct.
20-22. The EXBS program co-sponsored an Industry-Government
Outreach Seminar with the Ministry of Commerce on Oct. 22.
The ASEAN regional UN 1540 Workshop in Bangkok, scheduled for
27-31 October, was postponed. Commonwealth Trading Partners
(CTP) will conduct an Interagency Relations and
Infrastructure Workshop in Bangkok, Nov. 3-5. Advisor,
Program Assistant and Thai and Vietnamese officials will
attend the Export Control Academy in Athens, GA, Nov. 10-14.

SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS

2. (U) Advisor met with European Union (EU) and Norwegian
counterparts on Oct. 7 to discuss preparations for the UNSCR
1540 Implementation Workshop scheduled for Oct. 27-31 in
Bangkok. The EU and Norway were to be cosponsors of the
conference with the U.S. Advisor also met with U.N.
Conference Center staff on Oct. 16, after the previous week's
meeting was cancelled due to political demonstrations in the
vicinity. After the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs
(UNODA), the workshop's sponsor, decided that the conference
would have to be held at an alternate location, it was
ultimately postponed for administrative reasons. The U.S.
1540 Coordinator continues to work with UNODA to reschedule
the event.

TRAINING CONDUCTED

3. (U) Three officials each from Thailand and Vietnam
attended the Ninth International Export Control Conference in
Croatia, Oct. 20-22. Feedback upon their return was very
positive.

4. (U) The EXBS program co-sponsored an Industry-Government
Outreach Seminar with the Department of Foreign Trade,
Ministry of Commerce on Oct. 22. Presentations were
organized by instructors from the Department of Energy's
International Nonproliferation and Export Control Program
(INECP). This was the second such event held in Thailand,
the first being a seminar organized with the Japanese embassy
(oriented towards Japanese firms) last year. Over 130 firms
attended. Feedback was very positive, with the majority of
respondents indicating a significant increase in
understanding of strategic trade management, and a desire to
be kept informed of future developments.

EQUIPMENT DELIVERED

5. (U) None.

IMMINENT TRAINING/EQUIPMENT UPDATE

6. (U) Commonwealth Trading Partners (CTP) will conduct an
Interagency Relations and Infrastructure Workshop in Bangkok,
Nov. 3-5. Representatives of twelve government agencies and
industry associations will attend. The Thai Ministry of
Commerce will lead an ad hoc meeting of the Export Control
Working Group to discuss the way ahead at the conclusion of
the workshop. EXBS Advisor, Vietnam Program Assistant and
Thai and Vietnamese officials will attend the Export Control
Academy at the University of Georgia, Nov. 10-14.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS

7. (U) None.
JOHN

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