US, PHL defense cooperation to be boosted in the coming months

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 19): US, PHL defense cooperation to be boosted in the coming months

Expect more cooperation between the United States and the Philippines when it comes to defense cooperation in the coming months.

This was after US Deputy Secretary Ashton Carter called and visited Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin at DND headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo Tuesday morning.

“Frequent and energized consultations," are also seen for both parties when it comes to defense cooperation.

Both officials also talked about the “central role” of the Philippines in the region and how to promote and enhance the existing peace and stability, the US support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ capability upgrade, as well as the training of military personnel.

Carter also explained that the re-balancing of US forces is a broad engagement geared towards the promotion of economic stability in the region.

For his part Gazmin thanked Carter and the other US Defense Department officials for their visits to the Philippines.

“The visits are a good way for us to strengthen our personal relationships with the people we usually work with. Both the Philippines and the United States will benefit with our frequent and energized consultations with our US counterpart,” Gazmin said.

Carter is a national security expert with a doctorate degree in theoretical physics from the University of Oxford.

Before his most recent government service, Carter headed the International and Global Affairs faculty of the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=508534