Cohen visit stirs debate in Manila

Cohen visit stirs debate in Manila

MANILA (Reuters): U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen flew to
the Philippines yesterday for security talks, reviving an old
controversy that had dogged relations between the United States
and its former colony.

At the top of Cohen's agenda is an unratified agreement
between the Manila and Washington governments that would pave the
way for the return of U.S. forces, though just for exercises, six
years after Filipinos forced them to leave the country.

In an ironic turn, the two top Philippine officials Cohen is
counting on to make the agreement effective -- new President
Joseph Estrada and defense chief Orlando Mercado -- helped lead
the campaign to oust U.S. troops from the country in 1992.

Estrada and Mercado have modified their stand and pledged to
campaign for ratification of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA)
by the Philippine Senate, which is needed to put it into force.