PHILIPPINE VIEWS ON NPT REVIEW CONFERENCE AND

UNCLAS MANILA 000196 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL NPT IAEA UNGA RP SUBJECT: PHILIPPINE VIEWS ON NPT REVIEW CONFERENCE AND NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT REF: A. STATE 5891 ¶B. STATE 7493 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On January 28, Political-External chief discussed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference (NPT RevCon) and Nuclear Security Summit with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA),and delivered Reftel demarches. DFA said that the planning was proceeding well for next week's pre-RevCon workshop, and that the Philippines is pleased with the preparations for the Nuclear Security Summit. End Summary. ¶2. (U) In the January 28 meeting, DFA was represented by Donna Rodriguez, Director of the Office of Political, Security, and Legal Matters in the international organizations bureau, and Rona Goce, Principal Assistant to the NPT Review Conference Chair, Ambassador Libran Cabactulan. ¶3. (SBU) Pol-Ext chief commended the Philippines for taking on the challenge of chairing the NPT RevCon and expressed the U.S. interest in working with Manila to ensure a successful Review Conference. Rodriguez said that the planning was proceeding well for the "Workshop on the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons," to be held in Manila February 1-2, which will serve as a preparatory meeting for the RevCon. The Philippines is pleased that U.S. Special Representative Susan Burk will be attending, and that a total of 62 participants have confirmed their attendance. The Philippine Government is focused on the event at the highest levels, Rodriguez added, as seen by President Arroyo's hosting of a lunch for workshop participants on February 1 at the Presidential palace. ¶4. (SBU) Regarding the Nuclear Security Summit, Rodriguez said that the Philippine Sherpa, DFA U/S Ricardo Manalo, would not be able to attend the Third Sherpa meeting in The Hague in February. Instead, the Philippines will be represented by Sous-Sherpa Carlos Sorreta and A/S for international organizations Leslie Gatan. ¶5. (SBU) Rodriguez said that, overall, the Philippines is pleased with the preparations for the Nuclear Security Summit, and noted that the process for negotiating the communiqu has improved. She also acknowledged the difficulty posed to the United States by "some countries" opposing any mention of the NPT in the Summit communiqu (NFI). Rodriguez did express concern that the U.S. may wish for the Summit to be held on an annual basis, citing a draft of the communiqu that referred in bracketed text to the next Summit (without specifying a date). Noting that other countries had expressed similar concerns to DFA, she suggested that holding the Summit annually would take focus away from the NPT RevCon -- which is held every five years -- and could strain the resources and personnel of developing-country foreign ministries. Rodriguez also queried why the U.S. invited only 44 countries and organizations to the 2010 Summit, and suggested that there should be broader participation for any future Summits on nuclear security. ¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: While Rodriguez represents a middle-management perspective, and we cannot yet confirm whether her views are shared by Foreign Secretary Romulo or Ambassador Cabactulan, her comments did provide valuable insight into the RevCon and Nuclear Security Summit process. We were pleased to hear that the Philippines believes that the process for negotiating the Summit communiqu has improved, since in a previous meeting the DFA had expressed the concern that non-U.S. views were not being sufficiently taken into account. Finally, President Arroyo's hosting of an event is a positive indication of importance that the Philippines places on the RevCon process. BASSETT