YES TO U.S. BASES? Philippines amenable to construction of US military facilities only if...

From InterAksyon (Sep 19): YES TO U.S. BASES? Philippines amenable to construction of US military facilities only if...

Philippine officials involved in the crafting of a framework agreement with United States regarding the “increased rotational presence” of American forces in the country see no problem with the construction of US military facilities as long as such would be approved by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and ownership would be turned over after every joint military exercises.

“The possibility of construction is there, only if we approved it and only on a temporary basis. At the end of the exercise these will be either removed or transferred to us either [through] an existing process granted by the US Congress in terms of transferring equipment or through our Mutual Logistics [Support] Agreement mechanism,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Carlos Sorreta said on Wednesday.

Sorreta, who is also the spokesperson of the Philippine panel, said that in the second round of talks, which was held in Washington on September 12, both parties expressed understanding that the US will not establish a permanent military presence in the country.

Sorreta, together with Defense Undersecretary Pio Batino, gave an update on the second round of talks with the US panel led by Eric John, senior negotiator for military agreements of the State Department who was also among negotiators in the formulation of the PH-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

He added that both the US and the Philippines agreed that access and use of facilities will be at the invitation of the Government of the Philippines.

"And thirdly, the agreement should be mutually beneficial in developing the parties’ individual and collective defense capacities, in furtherance of Article 2 of the Mutual Defense Treaty," disclosed Sorreta.

Sorreta stressed that “anything to be built (in the country) has to have mutual benefit and it will only be for a specific type.”

He said this condition would be included in the framework agreement to be approved by both parties.

“One of the things we want very clear is that there is going to be an Article on Ownership [and] that article is going [to make sure] that the facilities remain Philippine property. I think that will be in Article 7,” Sorreta said.

Discussions between the two parties were frank and very respectful, he pointed out.
"The Philippine panel presented its positions on key issues. We also were able to listen to the position of the US panel on a variety of issues. There were substantial discussions on the language of the proposed framework agreement. In fact there is an agreement to have the working title to be changed to Framework Agreement Between the Philippines and the United States on Enhanced Defense Cooperation and Rotational Presence," the Philippine panel spokesperson stressed.

"During the (second round of) negotiations, we had clear understandings and language in key provisions including protection of the environment, the prohibition on nuclear weapons, the implementing agencies of the agreement, the types of areas and facilities that would be subject to the agreement, we had further discussions on other issues which will require us a little more negotiation," Sorreta emphasized.

Both sides earlier agreed that joint exercises and activities under a Framework Agreement will require the approval of the Philippines and will be mutually beneficial to the individual and collective defense capabilities of the two countries in furtherance of Article II of the Mutual Defense Treaty.

During the early stage of American presence in the country, Batino said, US forces cannot just come and use AFP facilities.

“All US access to and use of facilities will be at the invitation of the government,” he said.

Batino said all the sharing and using of military facilities will be anchored on mutual benefits and collective defense capacities for both parties.

At the rate the negotiations were going, Sorreta said, they have already “passed the halfway mark”.

“We’ve had progress and we’re looking to more discussions again to pursue our interest in this endeavor,” he said.

Sorreta just quipped when asked if the framework agreement was already set to be signed as a “Christmas gift” of President Braack Obama to the Philippine government when he visits the country next month.

“It’s not pegged to be signed on Christmas, as a Christmas gift or anything. When we are sure that we have met the parameters given to us, then that’s the time we conclude. It may depend on how the agreement progresses, it may happen soon, it may happen later, but we will sign this when we’re ready to sign,” he said.

“I wish I have the sixth sense but we’re negotiating this [with] the best we can,” he added.

The proposal for increased rotational presence of American forces became more boldly discussed by both countries following the increasing intrusions of China into disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea, especially in the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in Masinloc, Zambales and the Ayungin Reef in the Kalayaan island group in Palawan.

Aside from Sorreta and Batino, the other members of the Philippine panel were Defense Assistant Secretary Raymond Jose and Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Francisco Baraan.

The next round of talks on the framework agreement will be held in Manila on October 1 and 2.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/71042/philippines-amenable-to-construction-of-us-military-facilities-only-if---