VZCZCXRO1658
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHML #0553/01 0510803
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 200803Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5315
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANILA 000553 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL RP
SUBJECT:  CO-CHAIRS' SUMMARY REPORT OF THE SECOND MEETING OF THE 
ASEAN ARF EEPS, FEBRUARY 5-6, 2007 IN MANILA 
 
¶1.  The Department of Foreign Affairs has requested that Embassy 
forward to relevant U.S. authorities the summary report from the ARF 
EEP meeting in Manila.  Full text in para 3. 
 
¶2. Cover letter: 
quote 
 
Department of Foreign Affairs 
Republic of the Philippines 
 
12 February 2007 
 
 
Dear Colleagues, 
 
I am pleased to provide you the Co-Chairs' Summary Report of the 
Second Meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum Experts and Eminent 
Persons (ARF EEPs) held last 5-6 February 2007 in Manila. 
 
With my best regards, 
 
Sincerely yours, 
/s/ 
Erlinda F. Basilio 
Undersecretary for Policy and 
ARF SOM Leader-Philippines 
 
ARF SO Leaders 
ASEAN Secretariat 
End quote 
 
¶3.  Report: 
Quote 
CO-CHAIRS' SUMMARY REPORT OF THE SECOND MEETING OF THE EXPERTS AND 
EMINENT PERSONS, THE ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM 
Manila, the Philippines 5-6 February 2007 
 
¶1.  The Second Meeting of Experts and Eminent Persons (EEPs) of the 
ARF was held in Manila, the Philippines on February 5-6, 2007 in 
order to discuss multilateral security cooperation in Northeast 
Asia.  The meeting was co-chaired by elected EEPs, Carolina 
Hernandez from the Philippines, ARF Chair country and Chung-in Moon 
of the Republic of Korea.  The meeting was attended by 26 EEPs and 
40 observers from 25 countries, and the ASEAN Secretariat. 
 
¶2.  H.E. Dr. Alberto G. Romulo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the 
Republic of the Philippines and Chairman of the ASEAN Regional 
Forum, delivered the welcoming remarks and recalled the 
recommendations of the 13th ARF in Kuala Lumpur in July 2006.  Given 
the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, the Secretary noted 
the timeliness of this meeting's theme and reaffirmed ARF's support 
for the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement to establish a 
nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and for UN Security Council 
Resolutions 1695 and 1718.  He noted the steady progress of 
trilateral cooperation among Northeast Asian countries as evidenced 
by the recent Summit Meeting of China, Japan and ROK held in Cebu, 
the Philippines in January 2007.  He then stressed the need for the 
ARF to move closer toward preventive diplomacy and reaffirmed the 
Philippines' enhanced role and regional leadership as ARF Chair. 
 
¶3.  The meeting was organized into four sessions: the overall 
security situation in Northeast Asia; non-traditional security 
issues in Northeast Asia; lessons from other regional security 
cooperation and their implications for Northeast Asia: EU and ASEAN 
cases; and enhancement of multilateral security cooperation in 
Northeast Asia: what and how. 
 
Overall Security Situation in Northeast Asia 
 
¶4.  Despite the relative peace and the growing economic and 
socio-cultural interdependence among countries in the region, the 
overall security situation in Northeast Asia has remained precarious 
and uncertain. 
 
¶5.  The DPRK's nuclear program is a serious threat to the peace and 
security of Northeast Asia.  The EEPs encouraged the full 
implementation of the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement which 
reaffirmed the role of the Six Party Talk process as the most viable 
mechanism for the peaceful resolution of the nuclear problem.  Full 
and concerted implementation of UN Security Resolution 1718 was also 
strongly encouraged to dissuade the DPRK's nuclear ambitions. 
 
¶6.  The rise of China and Japan's move to become a 'normal state' 
should not have a negative impact on the security situation in 
Northeast Asia so long as China's rise remains peaceful and the 
US-Japan security alliance remains stable.  Concerns were also 
raised on the issues of history and nationalism, and their adverse 
effect on regional cooperation in Northeast Asia. 
 
¶7.  Multilateral security cooperation in Northeast Asia, in the 
opinion of the EEPs is the best approach to cope with actual 
 
MANILA 00000553  002 OF 003 
 
 
security challenges. 
 
Non-Traditional Security Issues in Northeast Asia 
 
¶8.  While Northeast Asia lack a multilateral security institution 
other than the Six Party Talks process, Non traditional security 
(NTS) concerns offer opportunities for regional cooperation 
especially in environmental security, energy security, and 
infectious diseases.  In addition, the need for cooperation in 
counter-terrorism, maritime security and human security, such as the 
issue of refugees, was also emphasized. 
 
¶9.  In order to cope with non-traditional security issues it was 
suggested that northeast Asian countries actively pursue 
comprehensive and cooperative security and where relevant, learn 
from the experiences of other regions such as ASEAN and Europe. 
 
Lessons from Other Regional Security Cooperation and Their 
Implications for Northeast Asia: E and ASEAN Cases 
 
¶10. ASEAN was recognized as on of the more successful cases of 
regional securiy cooperation, as it has overcome suspicion and 
hostility while enhancing mutual trust and transparency.  ASEAN's 
success was attributed to political will, leadership commitment, the 
"ASEAN Way", pragmatism and external support.  The role of track II 
mechanisms was also valuable in realizing ASEAN's goals of regional 
stability and security.  The experiences of the European Union and 
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) were 
regarded as other successful examples of regional security 
cooperation.  European experiences may not be easily applicable to 
Northeast Asia at this time but the Northeast Asia region has a lot 
to learn from European experiences in terms of transparency, 
enhancing mutual confidence and fostering cooperation. 
 
¶11. Contextual differences notwithstanding, Northeast Asia may learn 
from the experiences of ASEAN and Europe.  The lessons to be learned 
include political leadership, commitment towards regional 
cooperation, more institutionalized patterns of cooperation, and 
multiple layers of interaction (bilateral, trilateral, sub-regional, 
regional, global).  Effective utilization of track II mechanisms in 
promoting regional cooperation in Northeast Asia was also 
emphasized. 
 
Enhancement of Multilateral Security Cooperation in Northeast Asia 
 
¶12. Although Northeast Asia's security environment is complicated by 
various traditional and non-traditional security issues coupled with 
the rise of nationalist sentiments and the contentious DPRK nuclear 
issue, these challenges can be met by simultaneous dialogue-oriented 
and action-oriented multilateral cooperation from top-down and 
bottom-up approach which could eventually lead to comprehensive 
security cooperation in the region.  While such cooperation has not 
yet been institutionalized in Northeast Asia, a number of 
significant multilateral efforts have emerged at the official and 
track II levels.  It was recognized that the Six-Party Talk process 
could pave the way for multilateral cooperation, not only in the 
security areas but also in other areas. 
 
¶13. While there is a need to enhance multilateral security 
cooperation in Northeast Asia, it must be ensured that its 
development or evolution would not undermine existing region-wide 
mechanisms.  ARF can and should contribute to multilateral security 
in Northeast Asia and the wider East Asian region. 
 
Recommendations 
 
¶14. The following ideas were proposed regarding the enhancement of 
multilateral security cooperation in Northeast Asia: 
 
- Encourage regional dialogue and cooperation in the peaceful 
settlement of disputes and ensure that cooperative mechanisms are 
effective, efficient, flexible, and mutually responsive to the 
rapidly changing world 
 
- Strengthen regional capacity, including the provision of human, 
technical and financial assistance, particularly in the areas of 
conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict 
stabilization 
 
- Organize small working groups of EEPs for in-depth discussion on 
important security issues, such as secure energy supply, 
environmental degradation and Northeast Asian multilateral security 
cooperation.  Furthermore, government officials participating in 
working group meetings as observers may convene separate meetings, 
and exchange views on how to make best use of policy recommendations 
proposed by the EEPs; and 
 
- Use ARF meetings as opportunities for the participants of the Six 
Party Talk process and other interested ARF participants to hold 
separate meetings to discuss various security issues in Northeast 
Asia including the promotion of multilateral security cooperation in 
 
MANILA 00000553  003.3 OF 003 
 
 
the region. 
 
Manila, 6 February 2007 
 
End quote 
KENNEY