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