600 U.S. troops arrive in RP

600 U.S. troops arrive in RP

PHILIPPINES: Six hundred U.S. troops arrived at the former
American naval base at Subic Bay in the Philippines on Sunday to
take part in joint military exercises, the Philippine military
said.

The group is an advance party for the force of 2,500 U.S.
troops who will take part in the training exercises with some
2,300 Filipino soldiers until March 7, said Brig. Gen. Rafael
Romero.

The troops belong to the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force based
in Okinawa, Japan. They arrived by ship and off-loaded
helicopters, all-purpose vehicles and communications equipment.

"Other troops will arrive as days progress," said Romero. He
said the first batch would be stationed at an army base in
Ternate north of Manila and on the western island of Palawan.

The maneuvers are part of joint exercises by the militaries of
the two countries, which have forged a close alliance under the
banner of the U.S.-led war on terrorism.

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo assured neighboring
countries last week that the war games with the United States
were not related to Manila's sovereignty claim over the disputed
Spratly islands in the South China Sea. --AFP