RP looking for U.S. help if threatened<\/p>\n
MANILA (Agencies): The head of the Philippines' armed forces
\nsaid yesterday he had held informal discussions on possible U.S.
\nmilitary help if the country comes under threat.<\/p>\n
The comments by Gen. Arnulfo Acedera follow growing rancor in
\nrecent weeks between the Philippines and China over small islands
\nand rocks in the South China Sea which both claim.<\/p>\n
"We talked about it (a contingency plan) superficially. When
\nyou are playing together among golfers, everything is possible,"
\nAcedera said, without naming his U.S. military golfing partners.<\/p>\n
The commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, Adm. Joseph
\nPrueher, was in Manila earlier this week.<\/p>\n
A U.S. embassy official said there had been no formal
\ndiscussions on the issue.<\/p>\n
Acedera said all he really wanted in an emergency was a show
\nof strength rather than combat troops, pointing to the movement
\nof the U.S. Seventh Fleet near to Taiwan last year when a dispute
\nwith China grew tense.<\/p>\n
"I think we should be satisfied with that," he said. "For
\ninstance, if without being provoked, all of a sudden a superior
\nforce subjected (our territory) ... to some form of harassment,
\nit would constitute ... a contingency situation," Acedera said.<\/p>\n
However, there were no concrete proposals and the matter would
\nhave to be agreed at a higher level, he said.<\/p>\n
The United States ended its military presence in the
\nPhilippines nearly five years ago with the closure of the last of
\nits two huge bases there.<\/p>\n
Manila has accused Beijing of sending naval ships into the
\nSpratly Islands, which it claims.<\/p>\n
China insists the ships were research vessels and has demanded
\nManila stop all activity on an obscure group of rocks further
\nnorth in the South China Sea, where Philippine fishermen recently
\nhoisted their national flag.<\/p>\n
Agreement<\/p>\n
The Philippines has been pressing China to stick to an earlier
\nagreement that binds the two to do nothing in the disputed area
\nthat would be seen as threatening.<\/p>\n
This week Acedera warned China it risked being branded a bully
\nover its behavior in the contested Spratly islands. The
\nPhilippines is also looking at allowing U.S. naval ships to use
\nSubic Bay, the former U.S. Navy base north of Manila, for
\nrefueling and other support needs, Acedera said.<\/p>\n
U.S. naval ships stopped calling at the port last December
\nuntil the two sides could sort out an agreement on the status of
\nU.S. servicemen once they were on Philippine soil.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Embassy said there were no formal discussions on the
\nissue.<\/p>\n
"There are no ongoing discussions, nor are the U.S. and the
\nPhilippines engaged in any negotiations for increased use of
\nSubic Bay facilities," a U.S. official said.<\/p>\n
Philippine President Fidel Ramos, meanwhile, said yesterday
\nthat Manila would raise its dispute with China over the islands
\nat the ASEAN Regional Forum meeting at Langkawi, Malaysia, next
\nweek.<\/p>\n
A palace statement quoted Ramos as saying this would include a
\nmeeting with China, one of the ASEAN dialog partners.<\/p>\n
Ramos had earlier called for the "slight tensions" between the
\ntwo countries over conflicting claims to the shoal and other
\nislands in the South China Sea to be resolved "peacefully and
\ndiplomatically."<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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