PHILIPPINES UPDATE ON HYBRID OPERATION IN DARFUR

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 002855 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/PSC (HANKINS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2017 TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC MASS SU RP SUBJECT: PHILIPPINES UPDATE ON HYBRID OPERATION IN DARFUR REF: STATE 90022 Classified By: Pol/C Tom Gibbons for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) As requested (reftel),post met with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to highlight the urgent need to find qualified peacekeeping forces for the Hybrid Operation in Darfur, and encouraged the Philippines to contribute qualified personnel to the effort. ¶2. (C) Leah Ruiz, Director for International Political, Legal, and Security Affairs in the Department of Foreign Affairs' (DFA) Office of United Nations and International Organizations, told poloff that the DFA has formally endorsed the Darfur Hybrid Operation to the Office of the President and has also alerted senior level Philippine National Police (PNP) officials to the U.N.'s request for peacekeepers. Ms. Ruiz stated that the PNP is intensifying its recruitment of qualified officers, but added that the PNP is contending with manpower shortages domestically. Further, Ms. Ruiz stated that the Philippines may seek to augment its current training regime with assistance received under the Global Peace Operations Initiative, still under consideration (septel). Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm JONES