POSSIBLE VISIT OF DEPUTY SECRETARY ZOELLICK

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 001799 SIPDIS FOR THE DEPUTY SECRETARY E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2009 TAGS: PREL OVIP PTER RP SUBJECT: POSSIBLE VISIT OF DEPUTY SECRETARY ZOELLICK Classified By: Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone, reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (C) Mr. Secretary, we would warmly welcome your visit in May and hope that you can make it. Your visit would be timely. The GRP may be even less stable than it appears -- yet paradoxically, far more capable of deliberate, positive redirection and reform than is now obvious. The Philippines is likely to remain a high profile, hands-on account during your watch. Your visit now would strengthen US influence in a place and at a time in history -- the GWOT, the rise of China -- when we will need it as much as ever. ¶3. (C) Key objectives would include: -- Establish personal contact with key GRP decision-makers (most of whom have come into office since your last visit) and signal -- as the most senior Administration official to visit since the Bush II Inauguration -- the continued strength and vitality of our ties and shared strategic interests and values; -- Shape President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's thinking on China, away from her evident infatuation. We want her and Foreign Secretary Romulo instead to exploit the leverage even the Philippines should have in influencing China's emergence in positive directions (Hu Jintao will have made a state visit to Manila April 26-28); -- Re-register our expectation of GRP help at the UN Security Council and UN General Assembly and on third country issues from Burma to Iraq. GMA needs to know that an alliance means mutual contributions in accordance with each partner's means, and the GRP could frankly contribute much more; -- Reinforce the need for more progress in the GWOT, through our ongoing Operations/Intelligence Fusion program between the US military and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),through passage of modern anti-terrorism legislation, through serious leadership attention to confronting hard issues on the two desultory and long-standing domestic insurgencies (New People's Army and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front) and the corresponding "peace processes;" -- Promote meaningful trade liberalization, better fiscal performance, and stronger anti-corruption programs -- all of which may receive additional USG assistance if the Philippines becomes a Millennium Challenge Corporation Threshold Country -- as well as more effective IPR protection and enforcement; -- Support lonely but serious Filipino champions of reform in the Department of National Defense and the AFP through the ongoing Philippine Defense Reform (PDR) initiative. With the PDR as touchstone, press for similar systemic reform of the Philippine National Police through an incipient INL-funded "Management Assessment of the Philippine Police;" -- Press GRP leaders for further progress (meaning aggressive prosecutions and convictions) in the campaign against Trafficking in Persons; -- Reiterate Secretary Rice's commitment to the Foreign Service and the well-being of Embassy employees (American and Filipino) and review visa operations contributing to US homeland security at one of our largest and busiest consular operations in the world. ¶4. (C) We would build your program on as many of the following major activities as time will allow: -- A call on President Arroyo (other key seniors would likely attend, including National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, but Foreign Secretary Romulo will be in the US during this period); -- Meeting with Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz -- one of the bright spots in an uneven GRP -- and AFP Chief of Staff General Ebren Abu (PDR, GWOT); -- Meeting with Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, another leading GRP reformer (new fiscal measures, MCA, energy sector reform); -- Meeting with the pro-business Trade and Industry Secretary Juan Santos, fresh from the global private sector SIPDIS as Nestle's regional chief (WTO, trade liberalization, IPR protection); -- Visit to our historic and uniquely beautiful Embassy and our consular section; possible town hall meeting with employees; -- Pre-departure press conference. Ricciardone