The designation of the CPP/NPA as a terrorist organization is a determination that the United States Government has made under U.S. laws -- supported by evidence based on the track record of the CPP/NPA themselves.

In the sense that this determination can help staunch the flow of finances and other support for local armed groups and, thus, help prevent further conflict and additional loss of life, it is a welcome development. This is particularly so since, we understand, the U.S. Government cooperates with other countries, within their existing bilateral and multilateral legal assistance agreements, to track the finance and command structures of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

Although the Philippines did not solicit this action of the United States, past actions and threats of further mayhem made by the CPP/NPA themselves against U.S. interests and American citizens makes it understandable for the U.S. Government to take these threats seriously rather than wait for harm or damage to be visited upon their people.

We also understand it is possible that certain threats made by the CPP/NPA leadership in the Netherlands against U.S. citizens and interests can be considered, under U.S. law, as terroristic threats and, therefore, a crime.  This issue would then largely be a matter of criminal law cooperation between the U.S. and the Netherlands.

Through all this, the Philippine Government will continue to exert every effort to bring the peace process to a successful conclusion.  The Philippines, however, cannot be responsible for any criminal act that the CPP/NPA may commit or might already have committed against the citizens of other countries, particularly if those criminal acts take place outside Philippine jurisdiction.

11 August 2002
Tokyo, Japan*

*(where Sec. Ople is attending the IDEA Ministerial Meeting)