VZCZCXRO3739
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #1169/01 1030836
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 130836Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6057
INFO RUEHZS/ASEAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 9569
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 3164
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 001169 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS EAID AS JA RP
SUBJECT:  TRILATERAL COUNTERTERRORISM DIALOGUE 
 
REF:  A.  MANILA  646 
-         B.  MANILA 380 
-         C.  PHNOM PENH 535 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  Australian, Japanese, and U.S. diplomats on 
April 12 gave briefings on existing counterterrorism programs in the 
Philippines and agreed to continue such consultations, most notably 
with an upcoming Model Ports project but also potentially on greater 
coordination on Philippine Defense Reform, the Philippine police 
transformation program, education-related initiatives in Mindanao, 
leadership training for the MILF, and training on bulk cash 
smuggling.  The formation later this year of a Philippine 
Anti-Terrorism Council could be an opportunity to encourage the 
Philippine government to take more of a leadership role in 
coordinating counterterrorism assistance.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U)  At the invitation of the Australian Embassy, senior members 
from the U.S. Embassy and Japanese Embassy met with their Australian 
counterparts on April 12 to review ongoing counterterrorism programs 
in the Philippines by each government and to help prepare for the 
next senior-level trilateral meeting in Sydney June 5-6. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The Australians provided a lengthy resume of programs by 
various agencies, including: 
--  capacity building for Philippine law enforcement authorities, 
notably on bomb data and crime labs, with an increasing focus on 
forensics and on Mindanao; 
--  "counter-radicalization" programs such as exchanges, interfaith 
dialogues, and leadership training; 
--  capacity building to help the Philippines meet International 
Shipping and Port Security Code standards; 
--  development of a National Maritime Security program and a 
national training center; 
--  capacity building in the Office of Transport Security; 
--  improved capacity to screen seafarers, including a new ID system 
and certification procedures; 
--  capacity building on document examination and training for 
immigration officials; 
--  basic education in Muslim Mindanao, with an increased specific 
focus on madari curriculum, teacher training, and accreditation; 
--  delivery of 30 riverine craft (ref a) for use by the Armed 
Forces of the Philippines in the Linguasan Marsh in Central 
Mindanao; 
--  plans to increase ship visits and training -- as well as 
probable participation in the annual Balikatan exercises -- 
following conclusion and ratification of a Status of Forces 
Agreement in coming months. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)   Japanese officials admitted that their counterterrorism 
programs have so far been more modest, currently focused on three 
"pillars:" 
--  assistance to the Philippine National Police, notably on 
forensic science and the Aphis ID system, but with plans to expand 
to include training on crime scene handling, gun control, and an 
expanded Aphis system; 
--  assistance to the Philippine Coast Guard on port security; 
--  contributions to the Mindanao peace process, notably with the 
assignment of a development expert to the International Monitoring 
Team and the launch of a "quick results" Japan-Bangsamoro 
Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development" (J-BIRD) program, 
especially school construction, in Central Mindanao, primarily in 
Moro Islamic Liberation Front areas. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Rather than detailing the numerous and extensive USG CT 
programs in the Philippines, DCM urged that the three governments 
focus on possible additional areas of trilateral cooperation, 
including Philippine Defense Reform, the Philippine police 
transformation program, education-related initiatives in Mindanao, 
leadership training for the MILF, training on bulk cash smuggling 
(already including Australia), and substantive support for the new 
Philippine Anti-Terrorism Council after the Human Security Act of 
2007 comes into effect this summer.  He highlighted notable progress 
already in our trilateral technical working group on port security 
to prepare for an upcoming Model Ports project, and suggested an 
additional working group on Terrorist Financing.  He welcomed 
existing bilateral cooperation with Australia on mil/mil cooperation 
and terrorist designation (notably, the Rajah Solaiman Movement). 
The Australian DCM indicated that Canberra was leaning toward the 
formation of up to ten new trilateral working committees at the 
national level, but noted that the Japanese side had expressed 
concerns about being able to staff them all properly. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Comment:  Our three missions in Manila already have 
extensive ongoing bilateral as well as trilateral consultations and 
exchanges on a range of programs from development assistance to 
defense reform.  However, our programs --  apart so far from the 
Model Ports project - still operate largely independently of one 
another, with great complementarity.  The transformation in a few 
 
MANILA 00001169  002 OF 002 
 
 
months time of a relatively toothless Philippine Anti-Terrorism Task 
Force into a potentially much more effective Anti-Terrorism Council 
is an opportunity for all three governments, individually and 
collectively, to encourage  the Philippine government itself to take 
the lead on coordinating counterterrorism assistance and training 
and on bringing together existing or potential donors, in much the 
same way as the Philippine Development Forum has done for 
humanitarian assistance. 
KENNEY