[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
[May 19, 2003]
[Pages 510-513]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Joint Statement Between the United States of America and the Republic of
the Philippines
May 19, 2003
President George W. Bush today welcomed President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo to the White House on the
occasion of her State visit to Washington. The two leaders discussed the
full range of global and bilateral issues and reaffirmed the depth and
breadth of ties between the United States and the Republic of the
Philippines. The Presidents agreed that relations are deeper and warmer
today than at any time in recent history and noted that those ties are
rooted in shared history, shared values, and a common interest in global
peace and prosperity. President Bush and President Macapagal-Arroyo paid
tribute to a revitalized and maturing bilateral alliance and pledged to
strengthen the partnership further in the years ahead.
The two leaders noted with
satisfaction that the U.S.-Philippine alliance continues to play a vital
role in ensuring mutual security, as it has since the signing of the
U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty over 50 years ago. In recognition
of this proud history and continued partnership, the President announced
his intention to designate the Philippines as a Major Non NATO Ally
(MNNA). This step will allow the two
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countries to work together on military research and development and give
the Philippines greater access to American defense equipment and
supplies. President Bush thanked President Macapagal-Arroyo for her
strong and unequivocal support in the Iraq campaign and expressed
appreciation for the Philippine government's plans to deploy
peacekeeping and medical personnel to assist in Iraq's reconstruction.
The two Presidents reaffirmed their shared commitment to a free Iraq at
peace with its neighbors. The two leaders also agreed that North Korea's
nuclear weapons program is unacceptable and stressed that North Korea's
relations with the Asia-Pacific region hinge on the verifiable and
irreversible elimination of nuclear weapons capability.
President Macapagal-Arroyo
expressed the view that the world had changed on September 11, 2001 and
that conflict in Iraq had been another milestone in the war on terror.
She noted that across Asia, there is a growing capability and readiness
to cooperate on maintaining peace and stability in this new environment,
and emphasized that the United States' leadership and strategic presence
in the region are essential for the continuation of this positive trend.
President Bush welcomed this perspective and reiterated that Asia
remains a major focus of U.S. foreign policy.
President Bush praised President Macapagal-Arroyo's agreed to hold another joint
military activity in the near term, in which the United States will
provide support to ongoing Armed Forces of the Philippines-led
operations against the ASG.
The two leaders agreed on the
need for a comprehensive approach to defeating terrorism in Southeast
Asia, recognizing that terrorism knows no borders. The Presidents agreed
on the need for efforts to alleviate poverty and other socio-economic
grievances which can create conditions that can be exploited by
terrorists. President Arroyo expressed appreciation for increased U.S.
economic and development assistance to the southern Philippines, which
reinforces the Philippine Government's own efforts to heal divisions in
Philippine society. To advance this agenda, President Bush informed
President Macapagal-Arroyo that the United States will train and equip a
Philippine engineering unit capable of performing civic action and
humanitarian projects in conflict zones.
President Bush condemned recent terrorist acts in the southern
Philippines. President Arroyo
appreciated the economic assistance recently allocated by the United
States Congress to support peace in Mindanao. President Bush stated that
the United States stands ready to provide diplomatic and financial
support to a renewed peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF), provided that the MILF renounced terror.
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The two Presidents agreed that
the U.S.-Philippine security partnership has never been healthier and
emphasized the importance of U.S. support for continuing efforts to
improve the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Toward that end, the two Presidents agreed to launch a comprehensive
review of Philippine security needs and how best the United States can
support President Macapagal-Arroyo's plans to modernize and reform the
AFP. President Bush committed to help address the AFP's most pressing
needs, particularly in the area of mobility, by providing helicopters
and spare parts. President Macapagal-Arroyo thanked President Bush for
his promise of assistance and pledged her government's full support for,
and participation in, the more comprehensive review.
The two Presidents expressed
great pride in the robust economic and trade ties that bind the United
States and the Philippines, as evidenced by annual bilateral trade
exceeding $18 billion and cumulative direct private investment of $3.5
billion. The leaders reviewed progress in implementing President Bush's
Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative, which is aimed at generating sustained
economic growth in Southeast Asia. They welcomed the revival of the
bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement and agreed to resolve
issues identified in its Trade and Investment Council consultations.
President Arroyo welcomed the U.S. decision to provide tariff-free
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) benefits to specific products
requested by the Philippines and the offer of additional technical and
capacity building assistance on the protection of intellectual property
rights.
President Bush commended President Macapagal-Arroyo highlighted
the remarkable contributions of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans to
American economic life. Recognizing the important role that the over 7
million overseas Filipino workers play in the Philippine and global
economies, President Bush announced that the United States is launching
a project to facilitate the flow of remittances from Filipino workers
around the world back to the Philippines. The two leaders agreed that
this project would improve the lives of millions of Filipinos by
lowering the costs of remittance transactions and making it easier for
funds to flow to the Philippines from the United States and around the
world.
The two Presidents reviewed with
pride the contributions made by Philippine World War II veterans who
gave so much in defense of freedom. President Bush announced his
intention to support legislation extending new benefits for Commonwealth
Army veterans and guerrillas who lawfully reside in the United States.
He also announced continuing efforts to improve medical care for
Filipinos veterans in the Philippines by providing medical equipment to
the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City in the 2004 fiscal
year.
Presidents Bush and Macapagal-Arroyo looked forward to the May 20 signing by Secretaries
Powell and Ople of agreements on assistance for Mindanao, law
enforcement cooperation, and science and technology cooperation, noting
that cooperation in these three areas is a priority for both countries.
President Bush was pleased to accept President Macapagal-
Arroyo's invitation to pay a
reciprocal visit to the Philippines when he travels to Southeast Asia
for
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APEC in 2003. The two leaders agreed that to maintain momentum in the
bilateral relationship, other senior U.S. officials will travel to
Manila in the coming months, beginning soon with Secretary of Energy
Abraham and continuing thereafter with
senior officials from the Department of Treasury and the Agency for
International Development (AID).
Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
this joint statement.