President Clinton hails U.S.-RP ties, sacrifices<\/p>\n
MANILA (Agencies): President Bill Clinton hailed yesterday the
\nvitality of U.S.-Philippine ties and paid tribute to troops from
\nboth countries who fought Japan in World War II, saying the
\n\"spirit of Bataan and Corregidor\" had helped freedom to flourish.<\/p>\n
But his day-long goodwill visit to this former American colony
\nwas dogged by continued questions about the credibility of his
\nleadership after last week's election defeat.<\/p>\n
Clinton insisted at a joint news conference with President
\nFidel Ramos that the U.S. political upheaval following the defeat
\nof his Democratic Party in mid-term elections would have no
\neffect on American foreign policy.<\/p>\n
\"I believe that the position of the United States is certainly
\njust as strong as it ever has been,\" he told reporters.<\/p>\n
Stressing that he is still fully in charge of the country's
\nglobal affairs, Clinton said the power \"vested in the president
\nby the constitution...is quite clear.\"<\/p>\n
He also took a conciliatory stance toward Republicans who will
\nrun Congress from January.<\/p>\n
Refusing to be drawn into a debate with conservative
\nCongressman Newt Gingrich, who has declared the opposition will
\ncooperate but not compromise, Clinton said: \"insofar as I can
\nwork with them, I will do my best to do it.\"<\/p>\n
In an address at the American military cemetery here earlier,
\nthe U.S. president praised the Philippines as \"our oldest friend
\nin Asia\". He said the bloodless popular uprising that drove
\nFerdinand Marcos from power in 1986 had helped spark the end of
\nthe Cold War.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Philippine and U.S. foreign secretaries
\nyesterday signed extradition and mutual legal assistance treaties
\nin an effort to boost the fight against global drug rings and
\ninternational fraud.<\/p>\n
Extradition<\/p>\n
U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Philippine
\nForeign Secretary Roberto Romulo signed the Extradition Treaty
\nand the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty at the presidential palace
\nin Manila.<\/p>\n
The signing ceremonies were witnessed by President Fidel Ramos
\nand Clinton, who left yesterday for the Asia Pacific Economic
\nCooperation (APEC) summit in Indonesia after a 22-hour stopover
\nin Manila.<\/p>\n
Both treaties were negotiated this year following a visit by
\nRamos to Washington in late 1993.<\/p>\n
Christopher said in a speech that the signing showed the two
\nnations' \"solidarity in the fight against international drug
\ntrafficking and organized crime.\"<\/p>\n
He warned: \"Let our action here today serve notice to
\ncriminals in both our countries that the United States and the
\nPhilippines will stand united to defeat them. We are determined
\nthat they will not succeed.\"<\/p>\n
The extradition treaty would allow both nations to repatriate
\nfugitives in each other's territories, while the mutual legal
\nassistance pact enables Manila and Washington to exchange
\ninformation needed for the prosecution of suspects.<\/p>\n
The agreements need the approval of both the U.S. and
\nPhilippine senates before they can be implemented. Both foreign
\nsecretaries said they would seek their legislatures' early
\napproval of the treaties.<\/p>\n
Several fugitives from the Philippines have sought refuge in
\nthe United States, where many Filipinos have relatives.<\/p>\n
Philippine and U.S. officials have said that Manila was being
\nused as a transshipment point of drugs to the United States and
\nEurope. Many of these drug gangs engage the services of the
\nworld-class Filipino forgers or bribe corrupt law enforcers here.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/president-clinton-hails-us-rp-ties-sacrifices-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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