PRESIDENT ARROYO DISCUSSES NAM SUMMIT IMPRESSIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 004024 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/UNP AND EAP/MTS USPACOM ALSO FOR FPA HUSO E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2016 TAGS: PREL UNGA PHUM CU RP SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ARROYO DISCUSSES NAM SUMMIT IMPRESSIONS WITH AMBASSADOR Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. During an informal conversation with the Ambassador on September 21, President Arroyo shared her impressions of her recent trip to Europe and Cuba and about the outcome of the recent Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Havana. President Arroyo was "astonished" at the run-down appearance of Cuba. She found the speech delivered by Iran at the opening session to be objectionable and said that the Philippine representative objected to the inclusion of harsh language against Israel in the NAM final resolution. President Arroyo is pleased that a Spanish envoy is being sent to help with the Philippine investigation into extra-judicial killings and stressed the importance of the investigation. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) During an informal conversation at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 21, Philippine President Macapagal-Arroyo shared with the Ambassador her impressions of her recent trip to Europe and Cuba and about the outcome of the recent Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Havana. From Cuba, President Arroyo traveled to Hawaii for a ceremony commemorating the centennial of Philippine immigration, where she said she received "great briefings" from PACOM. -------------- Impression of Cuba and the NAM Summit -------------- ¶3. (C) President Arroyo said she attended the opening session of the NAM Summit at the request of Prime Minister Badawi of Malaysia. President Arroyo was "astonished" at the run-down, non-developed appearance of Cuba, noting the lack of investment in infrastructure and lack of business activity. She wrily observed that the Philippines looked better off. Her bleak impression of Cuba was reinforced by her Ambassador's request that the Philippine regional embassy be moved from Havana to Jamaica due to the restrictions placed on travel by the Cuban Government. ¶4. (C) President Arroyo was "very troubled" that Cuba, as chair, would give free rein to the more exteme members of NAM. She noted an objectionable speech by Iran at the opening session and the frustrated attempt by Philippine and Singaporean representatives to prevent the insertion of harsh language against Israel in the NAM final resolution. In an aside, President Arroyo expressed her extreme displeasure at the recent speech of Venezuelan President Chavez before the UN General Assembly, calling the remarks "horrible." -------------- Spanish Envoy to Help with EJK Investigation -------------- ¶5. (C) President Arroyo remarked that she is pleased a Spanish envoy is being sent to help with Philippine investigations into extra-judicial killings. President Arroyo explained that she had requested such assistance, adding that the Government of Finland is also considering sending an envoy to help with the investigations. ¶6. (SBU) President Arroyo met in London with Amnesty International representatives who vouched for the credentials of the Spanish envoy. Though Amnesty International "has been very critical" of the Philippines, the President characterized her meeting with the representatives as "good." She noted how rare it is for a President of any country to seek out the group and deal with its concerns "head on." President Arroyo said "it is most important to look into extra-judicial killings." KENNEY