AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROMULO

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 004677

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR KN BM RP
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROMULO


Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) In a private meeting with the Ambassador on November
10, Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo reaffirmed the high
importance President Arroyo and he place on their upcoming
bilateral meetings in Hanoi with President Bush and Secretary
Rice. Key topics they plan to raise are:
-- counterterrorism (including the ongoing offensive against
High Value Targets on Jolo Island);
-- how the Philippines could be helpful as the chair of
ASEAN on issues of common concern such as North Korea and
Burma;
-- hopes for a full MCC compact and Philippine performance
so far as a MCC threshold country.
Romulo added that he likely would also express to Secretary
Rice the Philippines' appreciation for the active USG support
for the Mindanao peace process, including military and
developmental assistance as well as high profile visits, such
as the November 13 trip to Zamboanga and Basilan by
Ambassador Kenney and the Ambassadors from the UK, Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.


2. (C) While emphasizing that the Philippines was not
trying to insert itself into the Six Party talks, Romulo
offered the good offices of the Philippines as host of the
ASEAN Summit, ASEAN 3 Summit, and East Asia Summit in Cebu
December 11-13 to help in any way it could on North Korea.
He underscored the importance the Philippines places on
bringing North Korea "back from the brink" and again into
dialogue. He said that the Philippines regards North Korea
as a huge and direct threat to regional security. He noted
that he had just returned from a visit to Seoul (including a
tour of the DMZ),where he met with the UN Secretary
General-designate Ban Ki-moon. He said he had told Ban that
the Philippines and ASEAN would be among his strongest
supporters in his new position, although ASEAN had initially
supported an ASEAN candidate for the job. .


3. (C) Romulo and the Ambassador also discussed the
expected November 27 verdict in the case of four U.S. Marines
accused of rape. He admitted that no verdict would satisfy
everyone, and that some would use whatever verdict for
domestic political purposes. He and the Ambassador agreed
that this has been a test case of the continued utility of
the Visiting Forces Agreement. Romulo underscored Philippine
satisfaction that the case had not adversely affected the
active program of ship visits and exercises in the
Philippines, most recently with the successful Talon Vision
exercise.

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http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm
KENNEY