US embassy cable - 05MANILA1258

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 001258 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/PMBS 
DOD/ISA FOR BG ALLEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2013 
TAGS: MARR, PREL, MOPS, JA, RP 
SUBJECT: RP-JAPAN POLITICAL SECURITY TALKS 
 
Classified By: (U) Political Officer Paul O'Friel 
for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1. (C)  SUMMARY.  The first-ever Philippine-Japanese 
political security talks allowed both sides to exchange views 
on China, North Korea, terrorism, and other issues.  While 
few concrete results emerged from the one-day discussions, 
they did establish the framework for a continuing and 
developing dialogue.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C)  Department of Foreign Affairs Director for Northeast 
Asia Monina Rueca, who participated in February 9 
political-military discussions with Japanese defense and 
foreign affairs counterparts, termed the talks "a positive 
step," noting this was the first time the two countries had 
engaged in such a dialogue.  She said the primary element of 
the one-day conference was an exchange of views at the 
assistant secretary level on such issues as counterterrorism, 
North Korea, China, the United States, and Southeast Asia. 
Rueca expected the February 2005 security dialogue would 
result in a series of regular semi-annual exchanges, but said 
the two sides had not yet agreed on a fixed calendar. 
 
3. (C)  Japanese Defense Attache Colonel Yukio Yasunaga, who 
also attended the talks, separately confirmed to poloff the 
broad nature of the exchange.  According to Yasunaga, the 
Philippine side's brief on US-RP defense cooperation 
highlighted the Philippine Defense Reform effort.  Philippine 
officials also discussed the impact of the U.S. Global 
Posture Review (GPR).  Noting the GPR's focus was on access 
and not bases, the Filipinos had suggested the RP "could be 
part of it" by hosting some (unspecified) U.S. activities. 
 
4. (C)  Philippine officials told their Japanese counterparts 
the goal of RP-China defense talks was to create a framework 
of cooperation whose scope would remain "quite modest," 
Yasunaga said.  The Philippines hoped as well to reinvigorate 
its defense relationships with Indonesia and Malaysia, and 
enhance relations with Australia, South Korea, and Singapore. 
 
5. (C)  Discussion of the future direction of 
Filipino-Japanese security relations touched on greater 
defense cooperation, disaster preparedness and response, and 
possible Japanese use of Filipino facilities.  Yasunaga 
indicated Japan intended to explore further with Philippine 
counterparts joint disaster preparedness and response 
training, but said it was premature to discuss use of the 
former Crow Valley bombing range by Japanese Self-Defense 
forces.  He added the two sides had discussed in general 
terms joint exercises between the Philippine Navy and the 
Maritime Self-Defense Forces, and possible Japanese 
participation in multi-lateral military exercises, similar to 
the Japanese presence in Thailand's annual "Cobra Gold" 
exercise. 
 
6. (C)  COMMENT:  While general in nature, the 
defense/security talks represent a step forward in the 
Philippines, relations with its northern neighbor, in 
keeping with President Arroyo's definition of the three 
"realities" of Philippine policy: Japan, China, and the 
United States.  We note, however, the talks were relatively 
low-level.  Senior-level engagement will be needed to achieve 
progress on more visible issues, such as joint training and 
exercises. 
 
Visit Embassy Manila,s Classified website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm 
Ricciardone