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