http://213.251.145.96/cable/2007/10/07SINGAPORE1932.html
¶1. (C) Summary: ASEAN should not have admitted Burma,
Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam into the organization in the
1990's, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew told visiting EAP DAS
Christensen and the Ambassador October 16. Expressing his
scorn for Burma's leaders, MM Lee called them "dense" and
"stupid." After discussing China's influence over Burma, he
suggested that Indonesian President Yudhoyono, as a former
general, could potentially be an interlocutor with the
regime. Turning to cross-Strait relations, MM Lee
characterized President Chen Shui-bian as a "gambler" who was
ready to "go for broke" on independence. He thought that
Japan might be willing to speak out publicly to constrain
Taiwan now that Yasuo Fukuda was prime minister. China's
strategy for Southeast Asia was simple -- "come grow with me"
because China's rise is inevitable. MM Lee urged the United
States to pursue more Free Trade Agreements to give the
region options besides China. End Summary.
¶1. (C) Summary: ASEAN should not have admitted Burma,
Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam into the organization in the
1990's, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew told visiting EAP DAS
Christensen and the Ambassador October 16. Expressing his
scorn for Burma's leaders, MM Lee called them "dense" and
"stupid." After discussing China's influence over Burma, he
suggested that Indonesian President Yudhoyono, as a former
general, could potentially be an interlocutor with the
regime. Turning to cross-Strait relations, MM Lee
characterized President Chen Shui-bian as a "gambler" who was
ready to "go for broke" on independence. He thought that
Japan might be willing to speak out publicly to constrain
Taiwan now that Yasuo Fukuda was prime minister. China's
strategy for Southeast Asia was simple -- "come grow with me"
because China's rise is inevitable. MM Lee urged the United
States to pursue more Free Trade Agreements to give the
region options besides China. End Summary.