GRP WILL SUPPORT U.S. AT MONTREAL PROTOCOL MEETING

UNCLAS MANILA 005790

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR OES/ENV/JTHOMPSON
USDOC FOR 4430 ITA/MAC/DBISMEE/KBOYD
BANGKOK FOR REO JAMES WALLER
STATE PASS USAID FOR JLEWIS
STATE PASS DEPT OF INTERIOR FOR USGS JMEDLIN AND GCOAKLEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV AORC EAGR ETRD PREL PINS EMIN RP
SUBJECT: GRP WILL SUPPORT U.S. AT MONTREAL PROTOCOL MEETING

REF: A. A) STATE 218123

B. B) MANILA 5457

Sensitive but Unclassified - Protect Accordingly

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SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) Charge met with Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Defensor on December 7 and
delivered points in ref A. Defensor said he would instruct
the GRP's delegation to support approval of a critical use
exemption for the United States (26.4 percent) in accordance
with the recommendation of the technical committee in the
Montreal Protocol. Charge and Defensor also discussed USAID
programs and the mining sector.

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SUPPORT FOR U.S. POSITION AT THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL MEETING
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2. (SBU) Charge delivered ref A points urging GRP support
for critical use exemption for the U.S. as recommended by the
technical committee: 26.4 percent of the 1991 U.S. baseline
consumption level. Defensor agreed to support this position
at the upcoming Montreal Protocol Meetings of the Parties in
Dakar. He stated that he would so instruct DENR Director
Donna Gordove, the senior DENR representative in the
delegation headed to Dakar.


3. (SBU) Post is also coordinating with the Department of
Foreign Affairs to ensure that the GRP's delegation is
unified in its support for our position. The formal head of
the GRP delegation will be Charge d'Affaires Bernaditas
Muller at the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi.

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ILLEGAL LOGGING
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4. (U) Defensor said the GRP intends to expand law
enforcement activities to combat illegal logging. Charge
welcomed Defensor to encourage non-governmental organizations
to apply for grants from the Philippine Tropical Forest
Conservation Foundation (PTFCF) to support DENR's
initiatives. PTFCF will release its second request for
proposals in early 2006.

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MINERAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT
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5. (SBU) Defensor said DENR will identify funding to support
a contract with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct
a joint mineral resources assessment of the Philippines (ref
B) and added, "I'm sure we can get it." Defensor responded
favorably to Charge's recommendation that USGS and DENR
explore the potential benefits of surveying minerals in
cooperation with Geoscience Australia. Although employment
and investment in the mining sector increased this year,
Defensor acknowledged that potential investors continue to be
concerned about the insurgency in Mindanao.

Jones