AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL ON PRESIDENT ARROYO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 000125 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2020 TAGS: PREL PGOV RP SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL ON PRESIDENT ARROYO Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, reason: 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador paid her farewell call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at Malacanang Palace January 21. The President praised the excellent state of U.S.-Philippine bilateral relations, and lauded U.S. leadership in organizing an "excellent" aid effort for Haiti. She said a Philippine medical team would arrive in Haiti January 25 to join the disaster response. The President voiced deep appreciation for the success of our joint counterterrorism efforts in Mindanao, citing in particular the importance of the "hard/soft power" paradigm that joined development assistance with military efforts to deny safehaven to extremists. The Ambassador praised President Arroyo's efforts to improve bilateral ties, her strengthening of key economic sectors and the development of a "nautical highway" to link the Philippine archipelago. She urged the President to continue pursuing a comprehensive peace accord with Muslim insurgents, and not to let up on counterterrorism efforts even as her presidential term winds down. Following the meeting, the President conferred upon the Ambassador the Order of Sikatuna (Gold Grand Cross),the highest honor conferred by the Philippines for contributions to diplomatic affairs. End Summary. ¶2. (U) President Arroyo was accompanied by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto Romulo, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Secretary of National Defense Norberto Gonzales and Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Lourdes Yparraguirre. The Ambassador was accompanied by the DCM, USAID Acting Mission Director, JUSMAG Chief and Political Counselor. BILATERAL TIES STRENGTHENED -------------- ¶3. (C) President Arroyo opened by congratulating the Ambassador for her successful outreach to the Philippine people over the course of nearly four years. Few Ambassadors had achieved such popularity, the President noted. She voiced deep appreciation for the growing strength and depth of U.S.-Philippine bilateral ties, which had clearly rebounded from the difficult years after the closing of U.S. bases in the early 1990's. That improvement had been aided by the many high-level visits arranged during the Ambassador's tenure, both at the Presidential level at the White House and Malacanang, as well as through many Cabinet-level meetings and visits. The high level of contacts and discussions manifested the importance and strength of our relationship. EXCELLENT U.S. RESPONSE FOR HAITI -------------- ¶4. (C) Turning to the recent earthquake in Haiti, President Arroyo congratulated the United States on leading an "excellent response" to the massive disaster. Noting that this was a team effort by an array of nations and international organizations, Arroyo said that the Philippines was determined to do its part to help repay the extraordinary help her country had received from a U.S.-led assistance effort following damaging storms last fall. ¶5. (C) President Arroyo said a 21-member Philippine medical team would arrive in Haiti January 25 to supplement the efforts of the large Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) peacekeeping contingent already in place. The Philippine government was also planning to send additional police forces to augment their peacekeepers in Haiti, as requested by the UN. The President noted that Philippine Marine Major General Natalio Ecarma had recently been confirmed as the head of the UN peacekeeping operation in the Golan Heights, and that this was just one of eight peacekeeping operations in which the Philippines was participating. The Ambassador welcomed the Philippine contributions to Haitian relief, and praised the unstinting efforts of Filipino peacekeepers in Haiti and other UN missions around the world. IMPROVED MILITARY, STRONGER ECONOMY -------------- ¶6. (C) The Ambassador welcomed the Philippines planned expansion of its peacekeeping efforts, and said the AFP's excellent peacekeeping record was indicative of the growing professionalization and capability of the armed forces evident in the nearly four years she had served as Ambassador. That positive trend had been matched on the MANILA 00000125 002 OF 002 diplomatic front by the Philippines, important role in ASEAN as a voice for democratization and human rights in Burma and throughout the region, its leadership in the Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference, and its continuing success in moving toward a Millennium Challenge Corporation compact. Economically, there was good news in the massive growth in call centers and other business process outsourcing companies, many with U.S. ties, as well as the President's development of a &nautical highway8 of roll-on/roll-off container ports to improve business and economic potential throughout the Philippine archipelago ) though the issue of maritime safety remained a major concern. BUT MUST CONTINUE EFFORTS FOR PEACE, JUSTICE -------------- ¶7. (C) While noting the many positive achievements in the Philippines in recent years, the Ambassador also stressed that there was still much to be done during the remaining months of the Arroyo administration. Key among these was achieving a comprehensive peace agreement with the insurgent Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao, as well as bringing to justice those responsible for the tragic massacre in Maguindanao province in November. The MILF peace talks were showing slow but steady progress, the Ambassador said, and a ceasefire was back in place and many internally displaced persons had returned home. The Ambassador pledged that the U.S. would continue to provide both military and humanitarian development assistance to help counter extremists in Mindanao, and was also developing plans to help improve governance and health care in Maguindanao, which was still under emergency rule. HARD AND SOFT POWER PAY DIVIDENDS -------------- ¶8. (C) President Arroyo concurred on the need to continue pressing for peace in Mindanao. She praised the paradigm of "hard and soft power" that the U.S. and Philippines had developed in the impoverished region, joining intensive development assistance and livelihood programs with aggressive military counterterrorism efforts to eliminate extremist safehavens and create alternatives to taking up arms. The President welcomed especially the intensive efforts of USAID in the region, including the expansion of Jolo airport, and other key infrastructure projects. ORDER OF SIKATUNA -------------- ¶9. (U) Following the meeting, the President conferred upon the Ambassador the Order of Sikatuna (Gold Grand Cross),the highest honor conferred by the Philippines for contributions to diplomatic affairs. ¶10. (U) The text of the citation follows. Begin text: Be it known to all men by these presents that I, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Philippines by virtue of the powers vested in me by law have caused to be inscribed in the roster of the Order of Sikatuna the name of her Excellency Kristie Anne Kenney, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America, with the rank of datu (gold distinction). Done in the City of Manila this 21ST day of January in the year of our Lord two thousand and ten. End text. KENNEY