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Disarmament DiplomacyIssue No. 23, February 1998US-Philippines Defence AgreementIn Manila on 10 February, the United States and the Philippines signed a Visiting Forces Agreement designed to significantly increase cooperation between the two States, including joint exercises and US naval visits. The Agreement was signed by Ambassador Thomas C. Hubbard and Domingo Siazon, Foreign Minister of the Philippines. Hubbard said that the agreement, which will require ratification by the Philippines' but not the US Senate, would"give substance to the Philippine-US Mutual Defense Treaty." However, both sides made it clear that no permanent basing of US forces in the Philippines was under consideration. US forces were based in the Philippines until 1991. Report: US and Philippines sign historic visiting forces agreement, United States Information Service, 11 February. © 1998 The Acronym Institute. |