PH, US end 8th round of defense talks

By: Frances Mangosing - 10 years ago

Pio Lorenzo Batino, Defense Undersecretary and Chair of the Philippine negotiating panel. AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines– The Philippines and the United States concluded on Friday the two-day discussions on the proposed Enhanced Defense Cooperation, an agreement that would allow Americans greater access to the Philippines’ military bases.

“This round brought us much closer to finding full consensus, and the draft provisions on key points of an enhanced defense cooperation will be submitted to the President for his review,” Defense Undersecretary and Chair of the Philippine negotiating panel Pio Lorenzo Batino said in a statement.

The eighth round of talks was held at Department of Foreign Affairs on April 10-11.

Speculations are rife that the negotiations are being rushed just in time for US President Barack Obama’s visit to Manila on April 28-29.

The talks on a defense agreement come at a time that the Philippines is building a minimum credible defense and amid a territorial row with China.

Batino cited consensus on key provisions and modalities that would reflect full respect for Philippine sovereignty, non-permanence of US troops and no US military basing in the Philippines.

Based on the understanding of both sides, the US will not establish permanent military presence in the Philippines. Storage of any equipment and materiel also shall not include nuclear weapons.

“After 15 years of the Visiting Forces Agreement and given current realities, challenges and opportunities, the Philippines is ready for a heightened level of defense cooperation. This agreement – which should stand on mutual trust – is an idea whose time has come,” Batino said.