No deal yet on increased US troops presence — Noy

From the Daily Tribune (Feb 15): No deal yet on increased US troops presence — Noy

Amid speculations that the Philippines-US framework agreement allowing increased rotational presence of US troops in the country is being readied for signing in time for US President Barack Obama’s visit to the Philippines in April, President Aquino yesterday maintained that they have yet to iron out the details of the pact, saying both sides want to make sure the agreement does not violate Philippine and US laws.

“Well, it’s not yet finished. There are meetings that are going on to iron out all the details of this rotational presence to meet our needs and Americans’ needs,” he stressed.

The President admitted that since the beginning of the bilateral discussions of the framework agreement between the Defense officials of both countries, there was pressure to arrive at the formal signing of the pact.

“Since the negotiations started, the goal was to reach an agreement soonest. But we must make sure the result does not violate the rules of both countries,” he said.

The President added the presence of US forces is seen to boost the country’s position in its territorial row with China in the South China Sea.

A visiting United States Navy admiral, meanwhile, has assured that the US rebalancing efforts in the Asia Pacific region will not pave the way for re-establishment of Amerian military bases in the country.

US Chief of Naval Operations Adml. Jonathan Greenert, during a forum in Camp Aguinaldo last Thursday, stressed that the US rebalancing plan in the region is primarily aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation and stable security situation.

“There is no plan to put in Navy bases, actually any joint bases in the Philippines as part of the rebalance,” he stressed.

“The rebalance has several aspects – economic, diplomatic, environment, energy development, trade, security and security happens to be right now where everybody is paying attention to,” the Navy official added.

The US admiral cited that this is currently being negotiated increase rotational presence (IRP) of US military troops and hardware in the country.

“There isn’t certainly for basing, so we like the increase rotational presence, we think that makes sense… very term rotational, it doesn’t involve bases,” Greenert stressed.
Greenert explained the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in the region, citing that 90 percent of goods around the world move by ocean.

“We’re all in this together and ensure that we have freedom of navigation because it’s really about economy,” he said.

The Philippines is currently entangled in a tense dispute with China over several territories in the South China Sea.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has filed a formal complaint before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Seas (ITLOS) against Beijing for its incursion in Panatag Shoal off Masinloc, Zambales where Chinese ships have stayed since April 2012.

Greenert branded the Philippine move for United Nations intervention as “terrific.”
“I think it was terrific idea, I think that a great idea to stay the course and bring this to fruition,” he said.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/no-deal-yet-on-increased-us-troops-presence-noy