Ramos rejects U.S. bases in RP

Ramos rejects U.S. bases in RP

MANILA (Reuter): President Fidel Ramos yesterday rejected suggestions that the Philippines again allow the United States to set up military bases in the country.

He said such an idea was premature and he did not expect the issue to come up in his talks with U.S. President Bill Clinton, who is to visit Manila on Saturday and Sunday.

Ramos was asked at his weekly news conference if the Philippines would consider again hosting U.S. bases in face of news reports from Washington that the United States was scouting for new weapons cache arrangements in Asia.

The United States shut down Subic naval base and pulled out the last of its military forces from the country in 1992 after Manila rejected a new bases treaty.