Duterte meets with Myanmar president, State Counsellor Suu Kyi

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NAY PYI TAW, Myanmar — President Duterte has met with Myanmar’s top officials at the Presidential Palace here, namely President Htin Kyaw and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, renowned globally as a democratic icon.

Duterte arrived at the Palace at 2 p.m. sharp, was met by Htin Kyaw in a welcome ceremony, and proceeded to the signing of the guest book.

The Presidents and their respective officials then sat down for bilateral talks before proceeding to the signing of the memorandum of understanding on food security and agricultural cooperation.

Duterte and the officials then met with Suu Kyi, whom Duterte greeted with a bouquet of red roses.

The meeting was closed to the media when it started, but at the tail end, Duterte handed a symbolic certificate indicating the Philippines’ $300,000 contribution to Myanmar’s humanitarian efforts to Rakhine State.

Earlier, Philippine Ambassador to Myanmar Alex Chua said he expects Duterte’s bilateral talks with President Htin Kyaw, Myanmar’s first civilian president in five decades, to “include talks on improving trade and investment relations,” and with Suu Kyi to “discuss regional cooperation.”

Duterte will meet separately this afternoon for high tea Myanmar’s Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to “explore deepening of bilateral defense cooperation.”

Joining Duterte in meeting with the Myanmar officials were Secretary Enrique Manalo and Chua, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, security advisor Hermogenes Esperon, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Isidro Lapeña, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez,  Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Senators  Alan Peter Cayetano and Tito Sotto, and Sec. Martin Andanar. JE