Philippines, US Discuss More Troop Visits
VOA News 15-08-2013: MANILA — This week American and Philippine officials held talks on expanding maritime security support from Washington, at a time of escalating tensions in the South China Sea. Officials in Manila are stressing that no permanent bases are being proposed.
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Carlos Sorreta said Philippine negotiators stressed their country’s major concerns in the first round of talks between the two countries Wednesday.
“Particularly full respect
for Philippine sovereignty, non-permanence of U.S. troops and no U.S. basing in
the Philippines, full Philippine control and authority over facilities, the
mutuality of benefits and the respect for the provision against nuclear
weapons,” he said.
At a news briefing in
Manila Thursday with no U.S. negotiators present, officials emphasized they are
still working on general outlines for the deal and said they could not give
specifics of what it would allow. They said the militaries of both
countries would determine the “size and shape” of the U.S. troops that are
expected to stopover, as well as what equipment would be used.
Permanent U.S. bases in
the Philippines were forced to close in 1991 due to domestic pressure.
But under a Visiting Forces Agreement, about 500 U.S. troops have been rotating
in and out of the Southern Philippines since 2002, focusing on counterterrorism
training.
The United States is
shifting its foreign policy more towards Asia, expanding military alliances and
diplomatic outreach. Washington has an agreement with Singapore to dock combat
ships for long stretches and Australia is expected to host some 2,500 U.S.
troops by 2017.
The American strategy is
under particular scrutiny in the South China Sea, where the Philippines has
filed dozens of diplomatic protests as well as a case with a United Nations
arbitration tribunal over what it calls China’s “excessive claims” to the sea.
China said it has
“indisputable sovereignty” over nearly the entire sea. The Philippines,
Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also claim rights to the sea.
Philippine negotiator and
Defense Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino said the increased U.S. rotations
will play a crucial role in a maritime region with rich fishing grounds as well
as potentially huge hydrocarbon reserves.
“There should be a focus
on high-impact, high-value training exercises and activities that would focus
on maritime security, maritime domain awareness and our perennial problem with
disasters,” said Batino.
A few dozen members of
Philippine leftist groups protested the talks outside the main entrance of the
Department of Defense.
The next round of talks
will be in Washington at the end of the month.
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