PHILIPPINES LOOKS AHEAD TO CHAIRING NPT REVIEW

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 001728 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/MNSA GENEVA FOR CD UNVIE FOR IAEA USUN FOR POL USNATO FOR POL USEU FOR POL E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2019 TAGS: AORC CDG ENRG KNNP MNUC PARM PGOV PREL UNGA IAEA, NPT, RP SUBJECT: PHILIPPINES LOOKS AHEAD TO CHAIRING NPT REVIEW REF: A. STATE 83600 ¶B. MANILA 00379 Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Responding to recently-heightened U.S. emphasis on nonproliferation issues, Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo expressed to the Ambassador his nation's keen anticipation of chairing the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference to be held in New York next May, and his government's desire to be helpful in furthering the two nations' shared nonproliferation agenda. Romulo has already directed the establishment of an NPT Working Group at the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) under the leadership of DFA's Office of UN and International Affairs, and is looking forward to the September 24 nonproliferation and disarmament meeting to be addressed by President Obama at the UN. The Foreign Secretary is optimistic that under Philippine leadership, the 2010 Review will yield greater success than the disappointing 2005 session dominated by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). END SUMMARY. Background -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The 1968 Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) provides for the 190 Parties to the Treaty to gather every five years to review whether the purposes and provisions of the Treaty are being realized. At the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference, the Parties extended the Treaty indefinitely and formalized the practice of convening a Review Conference (RevCon) every five years, as well as an annual Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) in the three years preceding a RevCon. Philippines Ambassador Libran Cabactulan will chair the May 2010 Review Conference in New York. As reported reftel B, the Philippines has consistently demonstrated strong support for nonproliferation and disarmament, and believes the two must go hand-in-hand. Although the Philippines has traditionally favored consensus solutions in multilateral organizations such as ASEAN, NAM, and the OIC, senior Philippine officials have expressed a clear desire to work with the U.S. in achieving substantive NPT goals, including full compliance with Treaty provisions by all 190 Parties. Philippines Ready to Answer Obama's Call -------------- ¶3. (C) In his August 12 discussion with the Ambassador, Foreign Secretary Romulo commented on the positive way in which President Obama had raised the profile of nonproliferation issues, in U.S. arms reduction talks with Russia, in the Prague speech where Obama called for strengthening the Treaty "as a basis for cooperation," and in President Arroyo's July 30 Oval Office meeting and subsequent meeting with Secretary Clinton. Romulo went on to emphasize the seriousness with which the Philippines views the important role it has to play in chairing the 2010 NPT Review, together with his country's desire to be helpful in advancing shared U.S.-Philippines nonproliferation goals. He outlined that the Department of Foreign Affairs had already begun assembling an NPT core team, which will be chaired by Director Leah Ruiz of DFA's Office of UN and International Organizations. ¶4. (C) Responding to the Ambassador's reference to President Obama's plans to address a special September 24 UN meeting on nonproliferation and disarmament on the margins of the UN General Assembly, Romulo outlined that Malacanang was contemplating the participation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Lastly, the Foreign Secretary was frank in admitting that the 2005 NPT Review Conference had yielded disappointing results, after Indonesia's Permanent Representative to the UN issued a long statement on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement condemning Israel and others, while demanding that the 2010 Review Conference be chaired by a NAM member. The Foreign Secretary described having talked to the Indonesian Foreign Minister, and both were optimistic that a less-adversarial MANILA 00001728 002 OF 002 atmosphere would likely prove more productive at the 2010 Conference. KENNEY