COUNTRY CLEARANCE POSTPONED FOR CME TEAM

UNCLAS MANILA 001275 SIPDIS DEPT FOR FSI/LMS/CMT, EAP/EX, EAP, EAP/MTS, S/ES-O/CMS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV RP AMGT AEMR ASEC KESS OTRA SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE POSTPONED FOR CME TEAM Refs: A) FSINFATC 1310 B) KINNEY/KANE EMAIL 19 APR ¶1. Post wishes to thank FSI/LMS/CMT for including Embassy Manila in the schedule of Crisis Management Exercises. Post Management regrets that we cannot extend country clearance to the Crisis Management Team Leader for May 12-15, 2007. We recognize the importance of these exercises to enhance our Mission's ability to respond to possible emergencies, but are unable to support an exercise on the dates requested. We could support the exercise on the following days, now scheduled for Bangkok, but understand the team is unable to accommodate that change. ¶2. Nationwide elections are scheduled for May 14, 2007. The Embassy will be closed on that date and more than 50 Mission members will be disbursed throughout the Philippine Archipelago to monitor and report on the election outcome; many will not return to Manila until late on May 15. Given the potential for election-related violence, RSO is providing escorts for teams visiting polling stations in many areas. Management and logistical resources will be fully engaged to support the observation effort and provide for any contingencies. ¶3. The Crisis Management Exercise is a very high priority for Embassy Manila. Given the propensity of the Philippines for earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, mudslides, and other natural disasters, combined with chronic political instability and a very real terrorism threat, Post management wants to maximize our opportunities to learn from this exercise. Re-scheduling the Crisis Management exercise to early Fall would allow key members of the EAC to participate, many of whom would not be able to participate on May 14-15, and would significantly improve the impact of the training for the entire mission. We hope to reschedule the exercise to that time. Kenney