http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2005/may/26/yehey/opinion/20050526opi5.h tml
The Philippines and the United States: An enduring alliance First of three parts (Speech of Dr. Alberto G. Romulo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, at The Heritage Foundation, Washington, D.C., May 18, 2005) Filipino and Americans have been friends for more than a century. Americans have enjoyed longer, closer and more cordial relations with Filipinos than with any other people in Asia. These ties are firmly based on shared historical experiences, on a common commitment to democracy, and on the heritage of free and open societies. Filipino-American friendship Filipinos were among the few Asians to stand with the United States and the allies throughout World War II. The bonds of friendship between the Philippines and America have been forged in the battlefields of freedom, in the foxholes of Bataan and Corregidor by thousands of brave and courageous soldiers who fought and died together for their beliefs and ideals. There were those who wanted to bypass the Philippines on the way to Japan. But, General MacArthur stood his ground. Strategically and politically, General MacArthur argued for the liberation of the Philippines and President Roosevelt agreed with him. After that global conflict, we concluded a Mutual Defense Treaty, the first one between the United States and an Asian country. The MDT, as part of America's system of Asia-Pacific alliances, successfully deterred communist aggression. The Philippines joined the United States and the United Nations to fight for freedom during the Korean War. We supported the United States in the Vietnam War and the long years of the Cold War. When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, the Philippines aided the multilateral coalition in the first Gulf War. Democratic alliance As the oldest democracy and the first republic in Asia, the Philippines welcomes the emphasis on democracy and freedom in US foreign policy. As the first country to peacefully overthrow a dictator, we contributed also to the advance of modern democracy. Our People Power Revolution in 1986, paved the end of the Cold War by inspiring democracy movements all over the world. Philippine People Power proved to be the catalyst that would bring down the walls and curtains in Europe and in the world. We joined other United Nations members in peacekeeping for stability and democracy in Cambodia, Haiti, Kosovo, Liberia and East Timor. Today, our past record of common endeavor and sacrifice bolsters us in our fight against the modern scourge of global terrorism. Here again, the Philippines came forward as the first country in Asia to give full support to the international coalition immediately after the 9/11. To liberate Afghanistan from the Taliban, the Philippines supported Operation Enduring Freedom. We helped pass crucial UN Security Council Resolutions that opened the way for democracy in Iraq, and we backed Operation Iraqi Freedom. Shared interests and challenges in the Asia Pacific Looking forward, then, we can confidently expect to deepen further our cooperation in this new century. As an Asian nation, the Philippines seeks regional stability, security and prosperity in Asia Pacific and in Southeast Asia. As an Asia-Pacific power, the United States seeks the same in its global strategy. Indeed, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and President George W. Bush have brought our partnership to its strongest point of the past decade. A successful exchange of State Visits in 2003 highlighted this growing closeness. Realities of Philippine foreign policy In terms of addressing the contemporary world, and of considering Philippine-American relations, President Arroyo has identified eight realities that shape Philippine foreign policy today. The first reality is that the United States, Japan and China have a determining influence in the security situation and economic evolution of East Asia. In this context, the Philippine-American alliance is critical. Our alliance buttresses America's presence in the region, and it allows us to work with greater purpose in our concerted drive to defeat the terrorists in our midst. The magnificent response of the US military during the tsunami also illustrates the flexibility of this presence in assisting the region. In like manner, we deeply appreciate similar American assistance for natural disasters in the Philippines. Japan, the region's major economic powerhouse, is a close friend. We welcome Tokyo's interest in becoming more active in regional security and economic cooperation, as well as its aspirations in the United Nations Security Council. Like the United States, we are developing constructive relations with China. We believe that Beijing should come forward in reassuring its neighbors on matters of security, especially given the steady growth in its defense spending. At the same time, China's commerce can boost the prosperity of all. The Philippines is a living example of how China's growth can fuel progress and development in neighboring countries. China's increasing wealth propelled our bilateral trade to grow by an average of 41 percent since 2003. Total trade with China last year was at $13.3 billion, in favor of the Philippines. A friendly, prosperous and increasingly open China is a powerful stabilizing force for the region and the world. The visit last month to the Philippines of President Hu Jintao was a success on this score. We signed fourteen agreements for a total of $1 .7 billion in investment for the Philippines, in energy, mining and infrastructure. Encouraging Beijing to expand its external contacts and to be more involved in regional cooperation with other Asia-Pacific nations is the way forward. China is already in APEC and the Asean Regional Forum. Other building blocks for networking with China are the Asean dialogue, the Asean-Plus-Three and the East Asian Summit process. In particular, we encourage the multilateral efforts of the United States, Japan and China to achieve a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, in concert with Seoul and Pyongyang. The Six-Party talks should resume and North Korea should respect international nuclear responsibilities. Regional and international cooperation The second reality is that Philippine foreign policy will become increasingly linked to Asean's development. We are determined to advance Asean's integration through AFTA and other initiatives. We will strengthen Asean's global competitiveness. As President Arroyo observed recently, if Asean's integration succeeds, its mega-market could well become a "second China." Asean was a driving force behind APEC and the ARF, and has the same role in the emerging East Asian regional community. Since the growth of that community will depend on openness, we believe the United States and other partners of the region ought to be involved in the East Asian Summit process. The United States should also support Asean's potential, not only in trade and investment, but also as an actor in promoting regional stability. Asean has long a force for peace. It has been tolerant and receptive to openness overall. Its Muslim members are leaders of Islamic moderation and modernity. Similarly, we want to work more closely with the United States in APEC. We need a renewed focus on expanding regional growth, even as we move to aggressively protect our economies from terrorist attack Democracy is also advancing in Asean. We have made it clear to Myanmar that Aung San Suu Kyi, should be freed, that the NLD should be part of the political process, and that attainment of its democracy and national reconciliation roadmap should be accelerated. Myan-mar now has to consider Asean's larger interests. World Islam The third reality is that the international Islamic community will be increasingly important to the Philippines. Islamic nations host many Filipinos working overseas as well as supply most of our oil imports. Islamic countries in Asean, notably Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, as well as the Organization of the Islamic Conference, are key partners in our peace process. The Philippines appreciates that the United States is now reaching out more to Muslims around the world. This should be a priority to assuage apprehensions among Muslims in connection with the war on terror. The Philippines is promoting greater inter-faith dialogue to bridge the communal divide, at home and overseas. Last year, the UN General Assembly approved our proposal for an inter-faith dialogue among nations and civilizations. Greater exchanges between faiths can foster reconciliation, justice, the rule of law and lasting peace. We would be glad to work alongside the United States in this effort, which is amendable to American faith-based initiatives. United Nations reform The fourth reality is we believe multilateral and interregional organizations should redefine their roles in promoting the common interest. We have proposed a UN Security Council Summit to enhance the effectiveness of the Council in preserving global peace and security. We seek other UN reforms, particularly the creation of a Human Rights Council to replace the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), the creation of a UN Peace Building Commission, and the expansion of the UN Security Council. I have just been in New York for the Review Conference of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). Global discussions of this nature forge the consensus we need to manage urgent global issues. The United States, therefore, should exercise leadership in working with others to reform the world body. (To be continued) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Take a look at donorschoose.org, an excellent charitable web site for anyone who cares about public education! http://us.click.yahoo.com/_OLuKD/8WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. 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