PHILIPPINE CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERNATIONAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 002259 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR PM, EAP, EAP/RSP, AND EAP/MTS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MCAP MARR IV LI HA AF YI SU TT RP SUBJECT: PHILIPPINE CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING REF: MANILA 01947 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: With over 600 soldiers, police officers, and military observers currently deployed to seven countries, the Philippines remains an important contributor to international peacekeeping efforts. These deployments highlight the government's continuing policy of supporting UN peacekeeping operations despite its own manpower shortages, particularly in the Philippine National Police (PNP),as well as the overall high quality and good English language skills of the Philippine participants. The government has been appreciative of U.S.-funded peacekeeping-related training and assistance in the past, and is likely to sign up for the Global Peace Operations Initiative and to continue to volunteer for various UN peacekeeping operations. End Summary. -------------- Active Contributor -------------- ¶2. (U) According to statistics from the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (UNDPKO),the Philippines (as of May 2007) had 627 peacekeepers currently deployed in seven countries: Timor Leste, Liberia, Sudan, Kosovo, Haiti, Afghanistan, and the Ivory Coast. (Statistics in para 6.) Among ASEAN countries, the Philippines ranks behind Indonesia and Malaysia in terms of total peacekeepers deployed, but is first for police personnel in the field. Worldwide, the Philippines the 29th largest contributor of peacekeepers. Philippine participants in peacekeeping operations in Liberia, Timor Leste, and Haiti have won special commendations from the UNDPKO, which has frequently sought to extend the tours of high performing individuals. Among other qualifications, the high English language skills of Philippine troops are especially welcome. ¶3. (SBU) Philippine officials including Foreign Secretary Alberto G. Romulo have reiterated repeatedly their government's commitment to continuing to play an active role in UN peacekeeping operations, while senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the PNP have noted how much their own troops welcome the opportunity to serve in these capacities and how much they themselves benefit from the experiences. Officials have commented, however, that resource constraints, notably a manpower shortage in the PNP, are a limiting factor. -------------- U.S. Assistance for Philippine Peacekeeping -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Both the government and the AFP have specifically welcomed various U.S. training for Philippine peacekeepers. Through the Joint U.S. Military Action Group (JUSMAG),the Embassy extended peacekeeping operations training to six AFP personnel in FY 2006 and six more thus far in FY 2007. JUSMAG most recently arranged training for several AFP personnel at a Peacekeeping Operations Seminar in Cambodia, and is currently vetting two additional soldiers for the Multinational Peace Support Operations Exercise in Mongolia in August. In the immediate future, JUSMAG plans to invite the AFP to nominate additional personnel for a number of upcoming peacekeeping courses hosted regionally, including courses on civil military coordination, peace operations instructors training, and United Nations staff officers training. The AFP is now considering standing up a dedicated AFP battalion to support UN peacekeeping operations, according to AFP Chief of Staff General Hermogenes Esperon. -------------- Comment: GPOI participation likely -------------- ¶5. (SBU) While the Philippine government has yet to respond to our invitation to participate in the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI),Embassy has high confidence that we will receive a positive answer in the coming weeks. Both Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs and Pacific Commander Admiral Keating have raised GPOI with senior Philippine officials during recent visits, and heard expressions of high interest and general support, especially in light of our willingness to provide up to $394,000 in GPOI funding to train and equip Philippine peacekeepers. The Department of Foreign Affairs is now "fast tracking" our invitation; we suspect the only slow down is the detailed examination by DFA legal experts of the required section 505 agreement. We also expect to see Philippine MANILA 00002259 002 OF 002 participation in many UN peacekeeping operations in the future, as in the past. End comment -------------- -------------- UNDPKO Statistics on Philippine Peacekeeping Contributions -------------- -------------- ¶6. (U) The breakdown of Philippine peacekeeping contributions according to the UNDPKO (as of May, 2007): - Haiti: 156 troops, 12 police - Afghanistan: 1 police - Kosovo: 44 police - Liberia: 169 troops, 29 police, 3 military observers - Sudan: 39 police, 13 military observers - Timor Leste: 145 police, 3 military observers - Ivory Coast: 3 troops, 6 police, 4 military observers Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm KENNEY