Suggested Visit to the Philippines

UNCLAS MANILA 000695 SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR SPECIAL ENVOY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE TODD STERN FROM AMBASSADOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV EAID SENV TPHY TRGY TSPL RP SUBJECT: Suggested Visit to the Philippines Ref: Manila 00647 ¶1. (SBU) The Philippines is a valuable ally in international fora on environment and climate change (reftel) and we should take advantage of your position to further build upon this partnership. In an effort to spur progress on the issue, Philippine President Arroyo recently named a special advisor on climate change, Heherson ¶T. Alvarez, and she joins him in chairing weekly cabinet meetings on this subject. ¶2. (SBU) I believe a visit by you to the Philippines would pay great dividends. Not only could you meet with the Philippines Climate Change envoy but you could also emphasize the U.S. role on climate change in meetings with NGO groups, other Philippine government officials, business leaders, and the press. We have strong public and private partnerships on climate change and environment in the Philippines (reftel). A visit by you would reinforce those partnerships and the USG commitment. ¶3. (SBU) You have been invited to a June high-level dialogue on climate change in Manila sponsored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB),and also the Clean Energy Forum, sponsored by the ADB and USAID, that immediately follows the high-level climate change dialogue. We think this would be an excellent opportunity for you to visit the Philippines and to interact with other Asian officials. If this even does not work on your schedule, I hope you will look for another opportunity to visit the Philippines. Such a visit would pay big dividends. ¶4. (SBU) Regards. KENNEY