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MDLIAN 3446
TELNO 301
OF 180455Z JUNE 92
INFO PRIORITY BANGKOK, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, JAKARTA, MANILA INFO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, TOKYO, WASHINGTON, BONN INFO PRIORITY OSLO, THE HAGUE, PARIS, BRASILIA, MODUK, ODA INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, ACTOR
42.
YOUR TELNOS 212 AND 213: PIRACY IN SOUTH EAST ASIA
SUMMARY
1. AUSTRALIANS SHARE OUR CONCERN AND ARE BEGINNING TO COME UNDER PRESSURE TO TAKE SOME ACTION. HOWEVER, THEIR THINKING IS STILL AT
A PRELIMINARY STAGE.
DETAIL
2.
WE CALLED ON DFAT TO CARRY OUT INSTRUCTIONS IN TUR AND LEFT A
ZPEAKING NOTE.
3. THE QUESTION OF PIRACY IN SOUTH EAST ASIA IS STARTING TO BECOME A PUBLIC ISSUE HERE. THE AUSTRALIAN MARITIME SAFETY AUTHORITY HAV REPORTED THREE ATTACKS ON AUSTRALIAN MERCHANT SHIPS SO FAR THIS YEAR AND HAVE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE ACTION. DFAT ARE CONVENING TODAY, 18 JUNE, AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL MEETING ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE. OUR APPROACH WAS THEREFORE TIMELY AND WI.
BE PART OF THE INPUT TO THIS MEETING.
4.
THE AUSTRALIANS HAVE CONSULTED THEIR POSTS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA
ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE HAD SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSES FROM KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE AND JAKARTA. ALL THREE SAY THEIR HOST GOVERNMENTS RECOGNISE THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM BUT HAVE ALL HIGHLIGHTED THE PROBLEM OF ENFORCEMENT. INDONESIA AND SINGAPORE HAVE JOINT PATROLS AND THE MALAYSIANS SAY THEY ARE CO-OPERATING WITH SINGAPORE AND INDONESIA, ALTHOUGH NEITHER OF THESE COUNTRIES ACKNOWLEDGE CO-OPERATION WITH MALAYSIA.
5.
THE AUSTRALIANS HAVE PUT TO THE THREE COUNTRIES THEIR OWN VIEW OF THE SITUATION REGARDING PIRACY IN INTERNATIONAL LAW. THE AUSTRALIAN VIEW IS THAT ALL SHIPS HAVE A GENERAL DUTY TO RENDER ASSISTANCE TO THOSE IN DISTRESS OR FACING A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION AT SEA, IE, ON THE HIGH SEAS OR IN TERRITORIAL SEAS,
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