PH envoy briefs U.S. National Press Club on closer ties

Ambassador Cuisia at podium responds to a question during the special briefing for the members of the National Press Club on January 27. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

WASHINGTON, D.C. —The Philippine Ambassador to the United States briefed members the National Press Club January 27 at the Philippine Embassy on the closer ties between the two countries.

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said, “In the past seven decades, the Philippines and the U.S. have seen themselves become treaty allies, strategic partners and close friends. We believe that bilateral relations are truly at their best as they are comprehensive, dynamic and forward-looking.”

Cuisia briefed the audience on the results of the recently concluded 2^nd Philippines-U.S. Ministerial Dialogue, the Philippine Supreme Court’s favorable decision on the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and the Philippines’ positions on the South China Sea issue, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).

“The Philippines and the United States recognize EDCA as a security component of our treaty alliance. It is especially critical to enhancing joint capacities for the provision of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and to increasing the inter-operability of the Philippine and U.S. Armed Forces,” the envoy remarked.

Cuisia also thanked the U.S. for helping strengthen the Philippines’ maritime security.The Philippines and China are currently embroiled in a row concerning certain areas in the South China Sea.  The dispute led the Philippines to initiate arbitral proceedings under the 1982 United Nations Law of the Sea in January 2013.

“Having an impartial third party rule on a case holds weight because one side will have the backing of international law,” Cuisia explained.

He also expressed support for sustained US Freedom of Navigation operations (FONOPs) in critical sealanes of communication.

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. and National Press Club President Thomas Burr after the Ambassador’s special briefing for NPC members at the Romulo Hall, Philippine Embassy.

Cuisia defended the Asean Economic Community as having “clearly more complementarity today, rather than competition among ASEAN industries.” He added,” Recent years have seen more trade within industries, belying the sceptics of the 1990s who predicted little impact and benefit from the ASEAN free trade area.”

He stated that expanding economic cooperation between the United States and ASEAN will be among the topics of discussion when President Barack Obama hosts the ten ASEAN leaders, including Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III, in a special summit in California next month.

Cuisia also fielded questions on Philippines-Japan relations, Philippines-U.S. cooperation in countering terrorism.

“I have to say that the relations between Japan and the Philippines have also never been better. Japan has been very, very supportive of the Philippines,” the envoy said, adding that Japan has consistently been the Philippines’ largest provider of official development assistance and leading trade partner. Japan’s assistance in boosting the Philippines’ defense and security capacities were also cited as proof of the strong ties between the two countries.

Established in 1908, the National Press Club (NPC) is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. It has over 3,500 members, including journalists from every major news organization.

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