US embassy cable - 05CANBERRA1461

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CANBERRA 001461 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/ANP AND S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, AS, RP 
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA-PHILIPPINES MINISTERIAL FURTHERS CT 
COOPERATION 
 
REF: A. CANBERRA 884 
 
     B. CROWLEY-HURTADO EMAIL 7-9-2005 
     C. CANBERRA 1098 
     D. CANBERRA 872 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Woo Lee for reasons 1.4 b/d. 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  The inaugural Australia-Philippines 
Ministerial Meeting (APMM), held in Canberra August 11-12, 
focused on security issues, in particular strengthening joint 
efforts by Australia and the Philippines to combat the 
terrorist threat in the region.  The two governments agreed 
to start interagency counterterrorism consultations to be 
conducted at the senior officials level.  They also agreed to 
expand cooperation on border control and transport security. 
Australia encouraged the Philippines to join PSI and pledged 
additional development assistance.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and 
Trade Minister Mark Vaile hosted Philippine Secretary of 
Foreign Affairs Alberto Romulo and Secretary of Trade and 
Industry Peter Favila in Sydney August 11-12 for the 
inaugural Australia-Philippines Ministerial Meeting (APMM). 
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) 
Philippines-East Timor Director Brett Hackett told us on 
August 24 that the impetus for the new forum was the GOA 
belief that there had not been enough cabinet-level 
engagement with the Philippines in the past, largely because 
the relationship had not required the same tending and 
cultivating as had relationships with countries such as 
Indonesia and Malaysia.  The inaugural APMM was the first 
step in formalizing regular high-level contact between the 
two governments, Hackett said, providing a forum for 
"practical cooperation."  The GOA accepted the Philippine 
government's offer to host the next APMM in Manila in 2007. 
A planning meeting in Manila in mid-2006 at the 
senior-officials level will evaluate progress in implementing 
the Action Agenda agreed to at the inaugural ministerial. 
 
NEW BILATERAL CT CONSULTATIONS 
------------------------------ 
3.  (C) The APMM discussed existing bilateral 
counterterrorism (CT) cooperation and highlighted the 
doubling in May (Ref A) of Australia's bilateral CT 
assistance to A$10 million (US$7.5 million).  GOA officials 
assured their Philippine counterparts of Australia's support 
for GOP efforts to address domestic security issues, 
including maritime security and border control.  (Note: As 
reported in Ref B, in a July 7 meeting with USG officials, 
DFAT's CT Ambassador Les Luck expressed great concern about 
the southern Philippines as a breeding ground for 
terrorists.)  Australia and the GOP agreed to start 
interagency consultations to strengthen the CT relationship. 
Hackett told us Luck would chair the Australian side, which 
would include representatives from the Department of 
Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA), 
the Australian Customs Service, the Department of Transport 
and Regional Services (DOTARS), the Australian Federal Police 
(AFP), and the Department of Defense (DOD).  The GOA hoped to 
host the first round of consultations before the end of 2005. 
 
ENCOURAGING THE GOP TO JOIN PSI 
------------------------------- 
4.  (C) Hackett told us that during the CT discussion, GOA 
officials had encouraged the Philippines to join the 
Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).  Philippine 
officials expressed some hesitation and asked questions about 
the legal ramifications of becoming a PSI partner.  Hackett 
said DFAT officials would draft a reply to Manila to try to 
address these concerns. 
 
BORDER CONTROL AND TRANSPORT SECURITY 
------------------------------------- 
5.  (C) Australian and Philippine Ministers announced 
agreement in principle to enter into a bilateral Arrangement 
on the Deployment of Air Security Officers/Air Marshals and 
looked forward to an early conclusion of a Memorandum of 
Understanding on Immigration and Border Control.  Hackett 
said the Air Security Arrangement would enable sky marshals 
to be on flights between the two countries.  He was hopeful 
that both the Immigration MOU and the Air Security 
Arrangement could be finalized before the end of 2005, though 
he acknowledged that this was an ambitious deadline. 
 
EXCHANGE PROGRAM AND DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE 
------------------------------------------- 
6.  (U) Other elements of the Action Agenda included 
establishing a political exchange program between the 
Australian and Philippine parliaments and reinstating 
exchanges under the Philippines-Australia Young Leaders' 
Program.  Both governments also agreed to make progress on 
bilateral commercial disputes, including market access and 
quarantine-related issues.  The two sides will explore 
opportunities in the Philippine mining sector for Australian 
mining companies.  Australia agreed to fund a new A$34 
million (US$25.5 million) five-year program to improve land 
administration in the Philippines.  In the 2005-06 fiscal 
year, Australia's development assistance to the GOP will 
total A$64 million (US$48 million), focusing on governance, 
security, stability, and rural development. 
 
7.  (U) The GOA Ministers welcomed GOP support for Australian 
participation in the inaugural East Asia Summit to be held in 
Kuala Lumpur in December.  In 2006, Manila will co-host with 
Australia the next meeting of the regional Interfaith 
Dialogue that brings moderate religious leaders from the Asia 
Pacific region together to discuss shared values and promote 
tolerance and understanding.  (Note:  The first regional 
Interfaith Dialogue was held in 2004 in Indonesia.) 
 
STANTON