VZCZCXRO8177
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNH RUEHPB
DE RUEHML #4346 2860844
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 130844Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3483
INFO RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION IMMEDIATE
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 004346 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2016 
TAGS: PREL ECIN XE RP
SUBJECT: FOREIGN SECRETARY DISCUSSES EAST ASIA ARCHITECTURE 
 
REF: A. STATE 171368 
     ¶B. STATE 153875 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C)  In a meeting with Ambassador and DCM on October 11, 
Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, speaking as a friend and 
ally, sought to persuade us of the merits of U.S. 
participation in the East Asia Summit.  He described the EAS 
as an important emerging  forum, inclusive of all East Asia, 
with ASEAN at its core.  As a Pacific power, the U.S. should 
play a major role and take advantage of the opportunities 
this forum presents.   Romulo quickly added that the nascent 
EAS format needs work, calling the current leader-led 
dialogue without agenda or preparation by senior officials "a 
lot of bull."  As upcoming EAS host, Romulo said the 
Philippines is pressing for better preparation. 
 
¶2. (C)  Ambassador and DCM explained U.S. policy on the EAS, 
focusing on the need to preserve and strengthen the 
value-added of long-standing organizations, especially APEC. 
Attempting to duplicate work on issues such as energy 
security in multiple fora risked diluting and confusing 
multilateral activities.  Romulo said he deeply appreciated 
the value of APEC,  but argued that working concurrently in 
different organizations will reinforce efforts, allowing each 
forum to make its own contribution. 
 
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Comment 
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¶3. (C)  The Philippines remains a great supporter of APEC, as 
President Arroyo often expresses publicly and privately.  But 
despite repeated efforts, we got no traction on our vision of 
complementarity with Romulo, whose view is common among 
senior Philippine officials.  There is concern here that the 
U.S. is passing up an opportunity to be a player in an 
emerging organization linking all of ASEAN with the northeast 
Asian powers.  Regarding Romulo's remarks on pursuing energy 
security at the EAS (ref a), it will be difficult to convince 
this year's EAS host to exclude energy security from EAS 
discussion, given the political impact of high energy prices 
in the Philippines. 
 
 
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm 
KENNEY