Cablegate: Foreign Minister Welcomes Asia-Pacific Democracy

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UNCLAS MANILA 003564

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR EAP/MTS - INGENERI; G - KACHTIK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM RP
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER WELCOMES ASIA-PACIFIC DEMOCRACY
PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL

REF: A. STATE 148559 - OBTAINING COMMITMENTS TO APDP

B. MANILA 3389 - PHILIPPINES NEEDS MORE TIME ON APDP
C. STATE 131561 - APDP

1. (SBU) Summary: In an October 30 private lunch with the
Ambassador, Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo warmly welcomed
President Bush's newly announced Asia Pacific Democracy
Partnership (APDP) as an important initiative to strengthen
democratic institutions in Asia and said the Philippines
would be very pleased to take part in the Partnership's
organizing meeting on November 15 on the margins of the
Community of Democracies conference. The Department of
Foreign Affairs said that a decision would be made soon on
who would represent the Philippines at the organizing meeting
in Bamako, and that post and the Department would be informed
as soon as possible. End summary.

2. (SBU) During a lunch at the Residence that also focused on
ASEAN's response to the situation in Burma (septel), Foreign
Secretary Alberto Romulo lauded President Bush's recently

SIPDIS
announced Asia Pacific Democracy Partnership as an important
new tool in furthering the spread of democracy throughout the
region. Romulo noted in particular that the proposed
membership of the Partnership struck the right balance and
was pleased at the inclusion of both India and Indonesia in
the list of organizing states. He said that the Philippines
welcomed the opportunity to join the Partnership and would
certainly take part in the organizing meeting in Bamako on
November 15 on margins of the Community of Democracy meeting.

3. (U) In later discussion with poloff, DFA Asia Pacific
Affairs Executive Director Hellen Barber said that the
Department of Foreign Affairs was still weighing who would
represent the Philippines in Mali and would be in touch
within a few days with both Mission and the Department of
State to pass on that information.

KENNEY

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