US Pres Barack Obama during a visit to the Philippine Navy flagship BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a recommissioned American Coast Guard cutter.
UPDATE 3 - 10:39 a.m.) The US’ commitment to enhancing the security and defense capabilities is “rock solid,” President Barack Obama assured Wednesday.
In turn, President Benigno Aquino III thanked Obama for America’s support in upholding the rule of law in the West Philippine Sea territorial dispute. The US has said that it would award the Philippines $79 million in bilateral assistance to develop its maritime capabilities.
The two leaders held a joint press conference after a more than thirty-minute bilateral meeting at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City, during which they discussed the continuing tensions in the West Philippine Sea as well as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Aquino also thanked Obama for recognizing that the Philippines' "initiation of arbitral proceedings is an open, friendly, durable and rules-based dispute settlement mechanism."
Obama replied that the US alliance with the Philippines was a strong one and would continue to be enhanced through joint exercises and by working with multilateral organizations.
Freedom of navigation
He added that the US was a strong advocate of freedom of navigation and freedom of aviation -- principles it used to justify its deployment of a naval destroyer recently in areas where China had built artificial reefs and islands.
Aquino was also grateful for US foreign military financing assistance and for its support of the construction of the National Coast Watch Center.
The Official Gazette describes the NCWC "is an inter-agency maritime surveillance and coordinated response facility." Its main tasks include conducting maritime surveillance operations; identifying security threats; planning inter-agency response to threats; and detecting, responding to, and recovering from threats.
Aquino also welcomed the proposed Southeast Asia Maritime Security Initiative.
According to the US Office of the Press Secretary, their country is "increasing the maritime security capacity of (its) allies and partners, to respond to threats in waters off their coasts, and to provide maritime security more broadly across the region."
The Philippines remains "the largest recipient of maritime security assistance, and will receive a record $79 million in bilateral assistance of the FY 2015 funds allocated for developing Southeast Asian maritime capabilities," it said.
The funds would be used for "building the training and logistical base for expanding the Philippine Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Forces’ ability to conduct operations within waters off the Philippines’ coasts."
The US Office of the Press Secretary added that the country was "assisting with naval maintenance capacity building as well as providing interdiction vessels, naval fleet upgrades, communications equipment, and aircraft procurement."
Confident in EDCA constitutionality
Obama, meanwhile, expressed confidence the Philippine Supreme Court would uphold the EDCA, which is being questioned before the tribunal by several petitioners who say the pact violates constitutional prohibitions against the permanent of foreign troops in the country and also ignores the Senate's power to review and ratify international agreements.
The EDCA allows greater American military presence in the country and the use of local military facilities.
During their meeting, Obama said he assured Aquino of the US’ readiness to support the Philippines achieve its goals in mitigating the effects of climate change.
PH wants in on TPP
Aquino also welcomed the conclusion of the negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, saying that he hoped the US, as the lead negotiator, would support the Philippines' possible accession to the agreement.
Obama proposed the idea of the TPP at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in 2009. 12 APEC economies are part of the TPP: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam.
During the bilateral meeting, Aquino also cited the importance of US support for the implementation of tariff adjustments under the World Trade Organization, which will expand the Philippines' trade.
The meeting with Obama was the first of the day for Aquino, who is also slated to talk to the leaders of Australia, South Korea, Russia and Canada.
THE TEXT OF PRES. AQUINO'S STATEMENT AT THE JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH PRES. OBAMA:
I am honored to welcome my good friend President Barack Obama and his delegation to the Philippines.
Prior to engaging in comprehensive exchanges in this week’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, President Obama and I took the opportunity to meet and continue our discussions on the enduring bilateral partnership between the Philippines and the United States.
We reaffirmed our treaty alliance, the strategic partnership and the historic friendship between our countries. I am confident that this firm foundation of broad cooperation and shared values will enable the Philippines and the United States to face the challenges of the present and those in the decades to come.
Our defense and security alliance commenced more than 60 years ago; to this day, it remains a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.
As a treaty ally of the United States, the Philippines receives security assistance from the US Government, particularly through Foreign Military Financing (FMF). We recognize, with the deepest appreciation, the significant contribution to our efforts by the United States—contributions that help us ensure that we can ably respond to current security challenges, particularly in the area of maritime security and maritime domain awareness.
The National Coast Watch Center (NCWC), completed early this year, was constructed with significant assistance from the United States. This project was first discussed during my visit to Washington DC in 2012, and our administration is pleased to see it come to fruition this year.
Today, President Obama and I discussed a number of avenues of cooperation. There is the Philippine Strategic Trade Management Act (STMA), which will enforce measures to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) from or within the Philippines, in fulfilment of our international obligations. We look forward to its implementation upon the completion of domestic procedures.
We also exchanged views on cybersecurity threats and resolved to explore cooperation in this area, knowing full well that all countries have a stake in maintaining peace and order in cyberspace, so that principles of international law can be applied. This area of collaboration with the United States can impact positively on the capacity of the Philippine Government to effectively and swiftly respond to cybersecurity threats and challenges.
President Obama and I likewise had a discussion on maritime security, including on the maritime disputes in the region, and how international law should remain the framework for behavior of all countries and for the peaceful resolution of disputes.
I take this opportunity to reiterate the Philippines’ view that the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea must be continuously upheld, consistent with international law.
On the economic front, we welcomed the continued strengthening of trade and investment relations between our countries. I conveyed the keen interest of the Philippines in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and we hope that the United States, as one of our most important economic partners, can assist us in the process.
The Philippines is also proud to announce that the 1st Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact is nearing completion, and the Philippines has been deemed eligible for a 2nd MCC Compact. The Philippine and US governments are working closely in the development of projects to be implemented under the 2nd Compact.
We discussed climate change and our two governments are looking forward to fruitful discussions at the COP21 in Paris, which will start later this month. As a country highly vulnerable to climate and disaster risks, the Philippines underscores the importance of all countries contributing to the global effort to address the problem of climate change for the benefit of future generations.
Finally, President Obama and I reiterated the longstanding and multi-layered engagement between our two peoples, and we pledged to ensure that our two countries work together not only strengthen defense cooperation and increase mutual prosperity, but also to foster more meaningful ties between our people.
Thank you and good day.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/120351/aquino-thanks-obama-for-rock-solid-us-support-in-west-ph-sea
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