WASHINGTON, D.C. – Leaders of more than 40 countries, including President Arroyo, will gather here from April 12 to 13 for the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit (NSS), which US President Barack Obama is hosting to seek international commitment to stop nuclear proliferation, secure “loose” nuclear materials in the world today and prevent nuclear smuggling and terrorism.

During the summit, President Arroyo is expected to define the Philippines’ position on nuclear terrorism, which the US President has identified as the most immediate and extreme threat to global security.

The Philippines is set to assume the presidency of the Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which binds signatory countries not to spread or allow other countries to spread nuclear weapons, missile materials and nuclear weapons technology.

The holding of the NSS has placed the US capital in another major security alert since the inauguration of Obama, who has just signed a new nuclear arms reduction agreement with Russia.

Along with the security initiatives leading to the treaty with Russia, Obama is said to be looking at the Washington Summit as “another cornerstone of (his) nuclear security policy.”

According to the White House, the summit will “facilitate discussions on the nature of the threat and develop steps that can be taken together to secure vulnerable materials, combat nuclear smuggling and deter, detect, and disrupt attempts at nuclear terrorism.”

Obama will welcome the leaders at the Walter E. Washington Center here, while on the second day of the summit, the US President will chair the plenary discussions on the critical topic “ National Actions to Secure Nuclear Materials and Prevent Illicit Trafficking.”

The discussions will be followed by a working lunch among the world leaders, also at the convention center, during which Obama will again lead discussions on “ The Role of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) in Nuclear Security.”

The US President will close the summit with a press conference.

Expectations are high here that the Summit will result in a communiqué that will reflect the pledges of the participating countries to efforts “to attain the highest levels of nuclear security, which is essential to international security, as well as the development and expansion of peaceful nuclear energy worldwide.”

Obama, who is pushing the anti-nuclear terrorism initiatives, has envisioned a four-year timeline within which all nuclear materials must be secured to prevent them from falling into terrorist hands, particularly the Al-Qaeda.

A treaty ally of the United States, the Philippines has been relentlessly pursuing counter-terrorism initiatives, particularly in Mindanao, where the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is based. US Pacific Command Units have also been deployed for counter-terrorism action in the Philippines, particularly in the South.

The Philippine participation in the summit, however, is not expected to raise much interest in the country’s waning aspirations for civilian nuclear technology, seen by some legislators as a possible solution to the power supply instability in the country and future power problems.

The President Arroyo left Monday to pursue her five-day swing to United States and Spain with a directive to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to ensure the safety of nearly 15,000 Filipinos in Thailand, particularly those living and working in Bangkok following the escalation of violence in the Thai capital.

Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said Mrs. Arroyo wanted to “keep the peace and make all situation very normal” while she was away for her five-day swing in the United States and Spain.

“We’re monitoring of what’s happening in Thailand and you know the concern is the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region,” he said in ambush interview after the President and her 25-man delegation flew to Washington via Philippines Airlines chartered flight at 8:30 a.m.

He said there is still no need to evacuate the 14,880 Filipinos in Thailand.