PHILIPPINES SIGNS GLOBAL PEACE OPERATIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 000095 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/PPA RACHEL FEATHERSTONE, PM/RSAT BERNETA LEE, L/PM MICHAEL COFFEE, AND L/T DAPHNE COOK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIA MARR MAS PGOV RP SUBJECT: PHILIPPINES SIGNS GLOBAL PEACE OPERATIONS INITIATIVE AGREEMENT REF: 07 STATE 82853 ¶1. On January 3, the Philippine government delivered a diplomatic note to the Embassy agreeing to our proposal for a 505 Agreement for the Global Peace Operations Initiative (reftel). Post will forward a copy of the diplomatic note by pouch. ¶2. Begin text. Note No: 08-07 The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and has the honor to acknowledge receipt of the Embassy's Note No. 1723, dated 18 December 2007, which reads as follows: "The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines and has the honor to refer to earlier discussions between representatives of the two Governments regarding grants under the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) of the United States of America and the furnishing of articles and services from the United States of America to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines pursuant to the GPOI. In accordance with these discussions, it is proposed that the Government of the Republic of the Philippines agree with respect to articles and services provided pursuant to the GPOI: ¶A. That unless the consent of the Government of the United States of America has been first obtained, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines shall not: (I) Permit any use of such articles or services by anyone not an officer, employee, or agent of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines; (II) Transfer, or permit any officer, employee, or agent of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines to transfer, such articles or services by gift, sale or otherwise; or (III) Use, or permit the use of, such articles or services for purposes other than those for which provided; ¶B. That such articles and services shall be returned to the Government of the United States of America when they are no longer needed for the purposes for which they were furnished, unless the Government of the United States of America consents to another disposition; ¶C. That the net proceeds of sale received by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines in disposing of, with prior written consent of the Government of the United States of America, any article furnished by the United States of America, under the GPOI, including scrap from any such article, shall be paid to the Government of the United States of America; and ¶D. That the Government of the Republic of the Philippines shall maintain the security of such articles and services; that it shall provide substantially the same degree of security protection afforded to such articles or services by the Government of the United States of America; that it shall, as the Government of the United States may require, permit continuous observation and review by, and furnish necessary information to, representatives of the Government of the United States of America with regard to the use thereof by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. The United States Government understands that the Government of the Republic of the Philippines retains its sovereign right to determine whether to deploy its forces in support of international peacekeeping operations. The Department of Foreign Affairs' note stating that the foregoing is acceptable to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines shall, together with this note, constitute an agreement between the two Governments, which shall enter into force on the date of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines' note. The Embassy of the United States of America avails itself of MANILA 00000095 002 OF 002 this opportunity to renew to the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines the assurances of its highest consideration." The Department wishes to inform the Embassy that the above mentioned note is acceptable to the Philippine Government and that said note and this reply constitute an agreement between the two Governments, which shall enter into force on the date of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines' note. The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America the assurances of its highest consideration. Pasay City, Jan 03, 2008 End Text KENNEY