VZCZCXRO1035
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #2523/01 1670550
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 160550Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1541
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 9363
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2705
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2326
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5788
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3415
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 1309
RHHMUNB/JIATF-WEST HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/ J3/ J5
RULSJGA/COMCOGARD MPC WASHINGTON DC
RUWGTCG/COMPACAREA COGARD ALAMEDA CA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 002523 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP, S/CT, and IO/T - LTOBEY 
COMDT COGARD FOR G-CI - KJOHNSON 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT ETRD PBTS PREL PTER PHSA KTIA RP
SUBJECT: GRP MULLS AN IMO-BASED MULTILATERAL MARITIME 
FRAMEWORK 
 
REF: A. MANILA 1229 
     ¶B. STATE 32776 
 
MANILA 00002523  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified - Not for Internet - Protect 
Accordingly. 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) On May 22, EAP Security Affairs Officer William 
Comley met separately with GRP officials and Australian and 
Japanese emboffs to brief them on recent discussions with 
the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary 
General and continue previous discussions on building a 
mechanism for multilateral coordination in maritime safety, 
security, and environmental protection (refs A,B).  He 
discussed the possibility of applying the IMO framework that 
is being developed for the Malacca and Singapore Straits to 
the Philippines.  The two GRP diplomats appreciated the 
organized approach and welcomed any efforts to broaden 
maritime-related relationships.  The head of transportation 
security suggested that two upcoming threat assessments will 
help identify existing security capabilities and potential 
gaps.  A shipping regulator noted the important role of 
industry in maritime security.  Japanese emboffs were in 
favor of broader cooperation, but noted that officials in 
Tokyo decided where to focus resources.  Australian emboffs 
noted existing close relationships on an operational level, 
with a focus on the Sulu and Sulwesi Seas.  Discussions may 
continue on the margins of the upcoming Military Operations 
and Law Conference in July.  End Summary. 
 
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Framework Support 
----------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Office of 
Asian and Pacific Affairs Assistant Secretary Romeo Manalo 
welcomed a strengthened maritime security relationship, 
which he hoped could be coupled with other relationship- 
building exercises.  He cited the current oceanographic 
survey among the Philippines, Vietnam, and China, which he 
viewed as a building block for other maritime activities. 
Manalo also supported a broad approach to improving security 
that encourages increased economic opportunities and 
peaceful conflict resolution.  Manalo also recommended that 
China be involved in any multilateral coordination efforts, 
particularly given the recent piracy attack near the 
Spratley Islands. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) DFA Maritime and Ocean Affairs Center Secretary- 
General Alberto Encomienda summarized recent possibilities 
for collaborative marine scientific research, including a 
hydrographic survey and an APEC marine ecosystem mapping 
initiative.  He hoped related bilateral projects could be 
included under the US-RP Science and Technology Agreement. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Ambassador Encomienda was eager to build a 
framework for multilateral cooperation specific to maritime 
safety, security, and environmental protection.  He told 
Comley that he looked forward to a progress report on the 
mechanism to build a maritime-related relationship in the 
Malacca and Singapore Straits at the next IMO meeting in 
September, so that he could determine its applicability as a 
template for Philippine-focused relationships.  He also 
noted that other Philippine agencies such as the National 
Mapping and Resource Information Authority, the Coast Guard, 
and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) often attended 
meetings hosted by the International Maritime Organization 
(IMO). 
 
¶5.  (SBU) MARINA Administrator Vincente Suazo said that 
shipping insurance premiums have risen because of incidents 
in the Malacca Straits and that the shipping industry must 
play an integral role in maritime security.  He also 
highlighted a pending bilateral maritime security agreement 
 
MANILA 00002523  002 OF 002 
 
 
with Malaysia that was developed under the Joint Ministerial 
Cooperative Agreement as a possible template for an ASEAN 
maritime security agreement.  GRP Chairmanship of ASEAN, 
which begins in July, would be an opportunity to strengthen 
regional maritime security cooperation, he said.  He linked 
these efforts to the stronger voice ASEAN now plays within 
the IMO Council since "four to five out of nine members are 
ASEAN countries."  He also mentioned the existing Brunei, 
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippine - East Asian Growth Area 
(BIMP-EAGA), which is led by the Mindanao Economic 
Development Corporation, as a model organization for 
regional coordination. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Operations Support and Coordination 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Department of Transportation and Communications 
Office of Transportation Security Undersecretary Cecilio 
Penilla suggested that the results of the upcoming National 
Threat Assessment June 1-2 and Contingency Planning Workshop 
June 7-8 might be a basis for identifying further areas of 
potential cooperation.  The Australian Department of 
Transportation and Regional Services will fund these 
activities.  The assessments will focus on land, air, and 
sea and will note strengths and gaps in capabilities. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Japanese Polcouns Taeko Takahashi supported 
efforts to broaden maritime cooperation and explore other 
potential avenues, but officials in Tokyo would decide 
resource focus areas.  Takahashi appreciated the need to 
build long-term, institutional capacity to address security 
and preempt any potential attacks.  She said that the 
Japanese Government works very closely with the Philippine 
Coast Guard on short, medium, and long-term counter- 
terrorism and anti-terrorism efforts. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Australian Deputy Head of Mission Pablo Kang was 
also supportive of multilateral maritime security 
coordination, pointing to the existing relationships on an 
operational level.  The U.S., Japanese, and Australian 
Embassies in Manila closely cooperate on maritime security 
issues, with specific focus on enhancing security in the 
Sulu and Sulwesi Seas.  Kang shared a matrix that his office 
developed to increase donor awareness and prevent 
duplication of programs in the Philippines.  Kang mentioned 
that projects and opportunities for closer maritime security 
coordination would be further discussed among American, 
Australian, and Japanese officials during an upcoming 
trilateral counter-terrorism meeting in Tokyo. 
 
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Next Steps 
---------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Follow-on discussions among U.S., GRP, Australian, 
and Japanese officials will occur on the margins of the 
USPACOM Military Operations and Law Conference in July in 
Bangkok, where an entire day will be devoted to regional 
maritime security.  Post will also add to the matrix that 
Australia has distributed to British, Japanese, and U.S. 
emboffs. 
 
KENNEY