TRILATERAL COUNTERTERRORISM DIALOGUE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 001169 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS EAID AS JA RP SUBJECT: TRILATERAL COUNTERTERRORISM DIALOGUE REF: A. MANILA 646 - B. MANILA 380 - C. PHNOM PENH 535 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Australian, Japanese, and U.S. diplomats on April 12 gave briefings on existing counterterrorism programs in the Philippines and agreed to continue such consultations, most notably with an upcoming Model Ports project but also potentially on greater coordination on Philippine Defense Reform, the Philippine police transformation program, education-related initiatives in Mindanao, leadership training for the MILF, and training on bulk cash smuggling. The formation later this year of a Philippine Anti-Terrorism Council could be an opportunity to encourage the Philippine government to take more of a leadership role in coordinating counterterrorism assistance. End Summary. ¶2. (U) At the invitation of the Australian Embassy, senior members from the U.S. Embassy and Japanese Embassy met with their Australian counterparts on April 12 to review ongoing counterterrorism programs in the Philippines by each government and to help prepare for the next senior-level trilateral meeting in Sydney June 5-6. ¶3. (SBU) The Australians provided a lengthy resume of programs by various agencies, including: -- capacity building for Philippine law enforcement authorities, notably on bomb data and crime labs, with an increasing focus on forensics and on Mindanao; -- "counter-radicalization" programs such as exchanges, interfaith dialogues, and leadership training; -- capacity building to help the Philippines meet International Shipping and Port Security Code standards; -- development of a National Maritime Security program and a national training center; -- capacity building in the Office of Transport Security; -- improved capacity to screen seafarers, including a new ID system and certification procedures; -- capacity building on document examination and training for immigration officials; -- basic education in Muslim Mindanao, with an increased specific focus on madari curriculum, teacher training, and accreditation; -- delivery of 30 riverine craft (ref a) for use by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the Linguasan Marsh in Central Mindanao; -- plans to increase ship visits and training -- as well as probable participation in the annual Balikatan exercises -- following conclusion and ratification of a Status of Forces Agreement in coming months. ¶4. (SBU) Japanese officials admitted that their counterterrorism programs have so far been more modest, currently focused on three "pillars:" -- assistance to the Philippine National Police, notably on forensic science and the Aphis ID system, but with plans to expand to include training on crime scene handling, gun control, and an expanded Aphis system; -- assistance to the Philippine Coast Guard on port security; -- contributions to the Mindanao peace process, notably with the assignment of a development expert to the International Monitoring Team and the launch of a "quick results" Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development" (J-BIRD) program, especially school construction, in Central Mindanao, primarily in Moro Islamic Liberation Front areas. ¶5. (SBU) Rather than detailing the numerous and extensive USG CT programs in the Philippines, DCM urged that the three governments focus on possible additional areas of trilateral cooperation, including Philippine Defense Reform, the Philippine police transformation program, education-related initiatives in Mindanao, leadership training for the MILF, training on bulk cash smuggling (already including Australia),and substantive support for the new Philippine Anti-Terrorism Council after the Human Security Act of 2007 comes into effect this summer. He highlighted notable progress already in our trilateral technical working group on port security to prepare for an upcoming Model Ports project, and suggested an additional working group on Terrorist Financing. He welcomed existing bilateral cooperation with Australia on mil/mil cooperation and terrorist designation (notably, the Rajah Solaiman Movement). The Australian DCM indicated that Canberra was leaning toward the formation of up to ten new trilateral working committees at the national level, but noted that the Japanese side had expressed concerns about being able to staff them all properly. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: Our three missions in Manila already have extensive ongoing bilateral as well as trilateral consultations and exchanges on a range of programs from development assistance to defense reform. However, our programs -- apart so far from the Model Ports project - still operate largely independently of one another, with great complementarity. The transformation in a few MANILA 00001169 002 OF 002 months time of a relatively toothless Philippine Anti-Terrorism Task Force into a potentially much more effective Anti-Terrorism Council is an opportunity for all three governments, individually and collectively, to encourage the Philippine government itself to take the lead on coordinating counterterrorism assistance and training and on bringing together existing or potential donors, in much the same way as the Philippine Development Forum has done for humanitarian assistance. KENNEY