Wikileaks: Aussies junk bases in RP
By Michaela P. del Callar 05/01/2011Australia has no plans of establishing military bases in the Philippines amid public fears that the signing of an expanded defense agreement with Manila would pave the way for a permanent Australian armed forces presence in the country, a 2007 confidential diplomatic cable released by on-line whistle-blower Wikileaks said.
The cable submitted to the State Department by former US Ambassador to the Philippines, Kristie Kenny, dated June 1, 2007, said Australia has vowed to support the country’s counter-terrorism efforts, particularly in the restive Southern Philippine region of Mindanao, as well as help it combat transnational crimes.
During the state visit of former President Gloria Arroyo to Australia on May 30 to 31, 2007, Canberra likewise stressed that it will not assume any combat role in the Philippines nor build bases under the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA).
“The two sides emphasized their counter-terrorism partnership, especially in Mindanao and against transnational terrorism, but underscored that there would be no Australian bases in the Philippines, nor would Australian troops undertake combat operations,” according to one of the series of cables from the US Embassy in Manila obtained by Wikileaks and released only last Thursday..... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110501hed4.html
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