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ACTION COME-00
INFO OCT-01 EA-11 ISO-00 EB-11 PER-05 FSI-01 RSC-01 DRC-01
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--------------------- 012163
R 291035Z MAR 74
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1971
INFO AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
AMEMBASSY MANILA
AMEMBASSY RANGOON
AMEMBASSY SAIGON
AMEMBASSY SEOUL
AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
AMEMBASSY TAIPEI
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI
AMCONSUL MEDAN
AMCONSUL SURABAYA
AMEMBASSY SUVA
UNCLAS BANGKOK 5203
E. O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: BEXP, XE, XC, XU, TH
SUBJ: FAR EAST TRAINING PROGRAM FOR FSL COMMERCIAL SPECIALISTS
REF : A. DEPT. A-1959
B. SINGAPORE 1286
C. BANGKOK 4614 (NOTAL)
1. EMBASSY SINGAPORE, IN REF. B, SUGGESTED THAT ITS APPROACH TO
SUBJECT SEMINAR WOULD ALSO BE OF BENEFIT TO OTHER POSTS. WHILE
THESE SUGGESTIONS ARE THOUGHT-PROVOKING AND CERTAINLY WORTHY
OF CONSIDERATION, EMBASSY BANGKOK WISHES TO REGISTER ITS PREFERENCE
FOR PROPOSED AGENDA CONTAINED IN DEPARTMENT'S REF. A.
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2. WE OF COURSE AGREE WITH EMBASSY SINGAPORE THAT IT WOULD BE
HIGHLY DESIRABLE IF FSL COMMERCIAL SPECIALISTS WERE WELL TRAINED
IN SUCH PROFESSIONAL AREAS AS THOSE CONSIDERED IN PARAGRAPHS 7
THROUGH 11 OF REF. B, BUT BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE WRONG FORUM.
WE SERIOUSLY QUESTION WHETHER SUCH TRAINING SHOULD REALISTICALLY
BE ATTEMPTED IN THE FEW HOURS PROVIDED DURING THIS FIVE-DAY
COURSE, ESPECIALLY AS IT WOULD NECESSITATE ELIMINATING OR CONDENS-
ING PORTIONS OF AGENDA PROPOSED IN REF. A. MOST OF MATERIAL TO
BE DISCUSSED UNDER THAT AGENDA CANNOT BE OBTAINED IN TEXTBOOKS,
MANUALS, OR OTHER OUTSIDE READING. AS REPORTED IN BANGKOK'S
REF. C, WE CONSIDER PROPOSED PROGRAM TO BE REMARKABLY COMPLETE,
WITH ALL TOPICS BEING HELPFUL TO THIS POST.
3. EMBASSY BANGKOK MUST ALSO RESPECTFULLY REGISTER ITS DISAGREE-
MENT WITH SUGGESTION THAT SUCH PROGRAMS AS WTDR, TRADE AND INVEST-
MENT OPPORTUNITY REPORTING AND COMMERCIAL LIBRARY, ETC. ARE TO
BE REGARDED AS ROUTINE AND, BY INFERENCE, NOT WORTHY OF MUCH
DISCUSSION. ON THE CONTRARY, IN OUR VIEW THESE ARE THE VERY
BASIC FUNCTIONS UNDER WHICH MUCH OF MISSION'S TOTAL COMMERCIAL
SERVICES REVOLVES. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THEY BE DONE WELL AND
IMAGINATIVELY. OUR WTDR FILES, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE CONSTANTLY BEING
USED FOR RESEARCH, ASSISTING VISITORS, ANSWERING CORRESPONDENCE,
TOPS, AND CONDUCTING ADS SURVEYS. A WELL-RUN AND WELL-STOCKED
COMMERCIAL LIBRARY, IN OUR OPINION, UNDOUBTEDLY GENERATES MORE
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN U.S. EXPORT SALES EACH YEAR THAN DO MANY
DIRECT TRADE PROMOTION EVENTS, AND HAVE A MUCH HIGHER COST BENEFIT
RATIO. MOST LIBRARY VISITORS AND TELEPHONE CALLERS ARE SEEKING
NEW U.S. SOURCES OF SUPPLY, AND EFFORTS MUST CONTINUALLY BE MADE
TO UPGRADE AND UPDATE ITS REFERENCE MATERIAL. BECAUSE OF IMPORTANCE
WHICH WE ATTACH TO COMMERCIAL LIBRARY, WE PURPOSELY DESIGNED
EMBASSY'S NEW COMMERCIAL OFFICES LAST YEAR WITH SPACIOUS AND
FUNCTIONAL LIBRARY SERVING AS CENTER OF COMMERCIAL SECTION'S
ACTIVITY. CONFIGURATION CAN BE CHANGED QUICKLY AND EASILY, SO
THAT LIBRARY, IN ADDITION TO CONTAINING READILY AVAILABLE
REFERENCE MATERIAL, INCLUDING COMPANY CATALOGS, HAS ALSO BEEN
USED FOR CATALOG SHOW, PRODUCT EXHIBITS, RECEPTIONS, FILM
SHOWINGS, AND THE LIKE. OUR FSL'S WOULD HOPE TO BENEFIT FROM
EXPERIENCE OF OTHER POSTS IN THESE VERY FUNDAMENTAL ACTIVITIES,
AND WOULD BE GLAD TO SHARE OUR OWN.
KINTNER
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