VZCZCXRO1938
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #0823 0940835
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 030835Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0296
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS MANILA 000823
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/RSP, G, IO/RHS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL RP
SUBJECT: PHILIPPINES WEIGHING NEXT STEPS ON ASIA PACIFIC
DEMOCRACY PARTNERSHIP
REF: A. STATE 28071- (APDP NON-PAPER FOR CIRCULATION)
B. 07 MANILA 3620- (PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT PLEASED
TO ATTEND APDP)
C. 07 STATE 151024- (ADVANCING THE DEMOCRACY AGENDA)
D. 07 MANILA 3564- (FOREIGN MINISTER WELCOMES APDP
PROPOSAL)
1. (SBU) The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs
reviewed with great interest the Asia Pacific Democracy
Partnership (APDP) non-paper (ref A). Acting Assistant
Secretary for American Affairs Lourdes Yparraguirre shared a
SIPDIS
positive assessment of the preliminary working document
during an April 2 meeting with Polcouns. Yparraguirre, who
is also serving as Acting Executive Director of the U.S.
Division, thanked the U.S. for encouraging action and
boosting the initiative in a region where the Philippines
would welcome more fully democratic neighbors. She added,
echoing comments reported in ref B, that the Philippine
government supports the mission of the APDP but lacks
resources to host meetings and staff to plan them. This
shortcoming will be exacerbated, Yparraguirre noted, by the
Global Forum on Migration and Development to be hosted here
October 2008 and the Non-Aligned Movement Non-Ministerial
Meeting on interfaith issues slated for July 2009. She said
that the Philippines remains open to the timing and location
of next APDP meeting, and asked about the number and size of
delegations that might attend the next APDP meeting.
Yparraguirre pledged to discuss with senior leadership in the
DFA the extent of Philippine involvement in the proposed
meeting.
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/
KENNEY