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HKC 175/1
150604
MDHIAN 9440
RESTRICTED
FM MANILA
TO DESKBY 26120OZ FCO
TELNO 221
OF 260702Z JUNE 92
CM
ра
INFO ROUTINE SINGAPORE, KUALA LUMPUR, JAKARTA,
INFO ROUTINE BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, TOKYO, MODUK, CANBERRA
INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON, OSLO, BONN, THE HAGUE, PARIS, BRASILIA INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, ACTOR
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FCO TELNOS 212 AND 213 TO CANBERRA: PIRACY IN SOUTH EAST ASIA
SUMMARY
1. PHILIPPINES NOT SERIOUSLY AFFECTED BY PIRACY BUT KEEN TO DISCUSS PROBLEM AT IMO. BELIEVE ASEAN BEST FORUM FOR FUTURE ACTION.
DETAIL
2. WE CALLED AS INSTRUCTED IN TURS ON THE MARITIME INDUSTRY AUTHORITY (MARINA). INTELLIGENCE AND OPERATIONS OFFICERS FROM THE COST GUARD, THE LEAD AGENCY ON PIRACY, WERE ALSO PRESENT. THEY SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO ATTACKS ON FOREIGN OR FILIPINO MERCHANT SHIPS IN PHILIPPINE WATERS SINCE EARLY 1991 AND NONE OF THE 400 PHILIPPINE REGISTERED MERCHANT FLEET HAD BEEN ATTACKED ELSEWHERE IN SOUTH EAST ASIA. BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM OF SMALL SCALE MARITIME BANDITRY, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES. 39 KNOWN ATTACKS SO FAR THIS YEAR HAD LEFT 13 PEOPLE DEAD.
3. THE PHILIPPINE AGENCIES WERE AWARE OF THE WIDER PROBLEM OF PIRACY IN SOUTH EAST ASIA AND WERE KEEN TO DISCUSS IT. THE IMB CONFERENCE IN KUALA LUMPUR HAD BEEN ATTENDED BY THE DEFENCE ATTACHE FROM THE PHILIPPINE EMBASSY. THE PHILIPPINES HAD SEPERATELY PROPOSED AN ASIA PACIFIC CONFERENCE ON THE ISSUE BUT THE IDEA HAD MET WITH LITTLE ENTHUSIASM ON THE PART OF THE JAPANESE OR AMERICANS WHO HAD BEEN ASKED TO FUND IT. THE PHILIPPINES WOULD BE RECEPTIVE TO ANY PIRACY-RELATED DISCUSSIONS IN THE IMO.
4.
THE MOST PROMISING APPROACH, HOWEVER, WAS SEEN AS ONE BASED ON ASEAN. COOPERATION AMONG THE PARTNERS COULD BEGIN WITH AN MOU ON THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE IMO CONVENTION ON THE SUPPRESSION OF UNLAWFUL ACTS AT SEA AND MOVE ON TO SHARING OF INTELLIGENCE AND PERHAPS EVENTUALLY JOINT OPERATIONS. THEY BELIEVED PIRACY WAS DUE TO BE DISCUSSED AT A MEETING OF THE ASEAN SUB COMMITTEE ON PORTS AND SHIPPING TAKING PLACE IN BRUNEI FROM 29 JUNE TO 2 JULY. THE
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