Held at the Ambassador's office US embassy, Manila
May 14, 2014
Cherie: President Obama just visited the Philippines and
the Filipinos were happy about the visit but questions remain on whether the US
will defend the Philippines in times of conflict, specifically with the current
territorial tensions with China. Do you also share the stand that the
Philippines should take a more active stance in building up its own defense capabilities
with or without the US?
Ambassador Goldberg: I certainly think that every country should do as
much as it can to try to defend itself and try to defend its interests and the
United States is a treaty ally of the Philippines and we will help the Philippines
along the way. As I understand it, the Philippines’ objective at the moment is
to build a minimum credible defense and that will take into account many
aspects of its security situation. The United States is a treaty ally and a
long time friend of the Philippines, we’ll be there to help the Philippines
finish that goal.
Cherie: With the signing of the EDCA or the Enhanced Defense
Cooperation Agreement, the US is supposed to help the Philippines in building
up its defense capabilities, how exactly will this be done?
Ambassador Goldberg: Well, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement is
a framework and sets out the authorities for our ability to help the
Philippines to have increased rotational presence of forces to work here in the
Philippines and in many areas. So what it will do is allow us to have more
inter-operability between our two militaries, more chances for exercises,
exchanges, have the ability to preposition supplies for contingencies like
humanitarian efforts in disasters. So, it will help in that regard, build up
the Philippines’ capacity not just in humanitarian assistance though, but in
maritime security, maritime domain awareness; the kind of new interests that
the Philippines has seen on the agenda of its security needs.
Cherie: In terms of equipment as well?
Ambassador Goldberg: Yes, there will be equipment that will be involved.
We also believe that there will be different projects that will take place to
try to help build some areas, Armed Forces of the Philippines’ facilities for
example, if something is needed on a particular airport facility or needs to be
expanded, or a port has to be dredged. But these are decisions as I mentioned.
What we've done so far is a framework and sets out the authorities on both
sides about how to move forward because this is an agreement that was derived
from our mutual defense treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement. So what we
have now is the authorities but everything that we do henceforth, is going to
be mutually agreed also through a process that already takes place through, our
mutual defense for example, which meets military to military and decides where
these things should be and how many people should be there, on how many
locations, or how many troops are here and so forth.
Cherie: Does this mean that we have to go through the
specifics of the agreement? Will it be done on paper or as we go along, that’s
when the two military bodies will have to talk?
Ambassador Goldberg: What I suggest to you Cherie, to your viewers and
to your listeners, is that they take a look at the EDCA and what it says, and
what it says again, is sort of the framework, what our relationship would be
and how these things could take place but the specifics still remain to be
agreed and they have to be agreed by both sides and the mutual interest of the
both sides, so it’s a process it’s not all just that once.
Cherie: This might trigger doubts and fear on the Filipino
people’s minds -- that if it’s not on paper and if it just goes through
agreements later on, it might not be transparent?
Ambassador Goldberg: Well, we announce for example, every single
exercise that we do with the Philippines. If we have a ship visit, every one of
them is announced. We’re very transparent with what we’re doing, nothing will be
hidden, everything will be very open, and it's necessary. We live in a
society that needs to be open and transparent with their public so I don’t
think it’s an issue. Everything we’ve done until now in terms of visits, in
terms of exercises, in terms of our cooperation in Mindanao and elsewhere had
been open.
Cherie: Are there also commitment in terms of hardware,
airplanes, helicopters?
Ambassador Goldberg: I would say that the equipment is related but not
specific to the EDCA. The EDCA is a pre-particular purpose. The one we talked
about which is for the assistance that we will lend to the Philippines in terms
of building their minimum credible defense; in terms of inter-operability, in
terms of maritime security, maritime domain awareness, humanitarian assistance
and disaster reliefs those kind of issues. Some of the equipment that we’re
talking about, for example, the two cutters, coast guard cutters that were
given to the Philippines through our programs, are part of a separate kind of
the relationship, and so we will continue that as well and it will be very
complementary. These things will go together but they’re not necessarily part
of the EDCA itself. I think people should consider the EDCA to be something
that is evolutionary and not revolutionary in terms of our military to military
relationship. It has a specific purpose, but different parts of our
relationship are in different channels. For example, we have foreign military
financing which is one area, where we help Philippines purchase some of these
articles or we have global contingency funds, where we’re helping the coast
guard build up its capacity and do some of the maritime issues. So again, we
have different areas where we cooperate and do not all fall to one agreement.
Cherie: There were reactions that the Enhanced Defense
Cooperation Agreement took advantage of a time when the Philippines is
vulnerable to help especially after typhoon Haiyan struck. Some said
other countries gave aid but did not forge any agreements afterwards. Your
reaction?
Ambassador Goldberg: We've had a treaty alliance with the Philippines
for 60 years. The Philippines was interested in the Enhanced Defense
Cooperation Agreement for reasons of their own self interest. We have our
interest as well, and that makes for mutual interest. I think we have a
different kind of relationship than with the other countries. We would come to
the Philippines aid with humanitarian assistance under any possible scenario. I’m
sure it doesn’t have to do with EDCA or with other aspects of our relationship,
but at the same time we have this defense relationship, the Philippines has its
goals and so we have a mutually beneficial situation where yet it can make
sense for both countries.
Cherie: Probably my last question, for the Philippines, it
has its desire to build minimum defense capability, with the US, how will EDCA help
attain its regional goals?
Ambassador Goldberg: One is through our presence here. You know, the Obama
administration, since its inception has emphasized the US re-balance to Asia. Now,
the central part of the re-balance or the origins of the re-balance were really
economic. The idea with the rise of China, the rise of the rest of Asia,
especially the South East Asia, and their growing importance as economies,
their growing populations, that there was a shift going on in the world in
terms of our shared interest and the idea that the American prosperity is very
much tied to Asian prosperity. The security aspects of the re-balance are
really part of that to make sure that the area is governed by rule of law and
by a non-coercive measures, non-intimidation between countries; protecting what
we consider to be our interest which are freedom of navigation in the air, in
the sea; and to have a presence here, a security presence to complement what
we’re all trying to do economically in these countries to work together.
Cherie: May we get your message to the Filipino
people in line with the recent visit of the US President and also with the recent
signing of a new defense agreement?
Ambassador Goldberg: Let me repeat something that the President said
while he was here which is that the United States views its treaty commitment
to the Philippines as iron clad and that attack on the Philippines would
trigger our commitments. And what I think, what happened during the President’s
visit to the region, specifically to the Philippines but very importantly in
the case of the Philippines was that there is a renewal, a revitalization of
our relationship in many areas, and it’s not just in the defense area. We have very
strong economic ties; the United States is the second largest trading partner
with the Philippines. We are talking about issues like trans-pacific
partnership which is a region-wide, actually more than region, the whole
pacific rim-wide economic agreement which brings in new trade measures and
modernization of our economies to bring into line our economic and labor and
environmental policies, all with trade component as well. And it is important
to remember that the US and the Philippines has huge historic people to people
relations. And so, there is tremendous and rich history. So there is a
tremendous people to people component, all of those things are highlighted in
the President’s visit. And the idea is that, although some of the past is not remembered
as fondly as other parts, the 21st century has brought new challenges , new
interests into focus and at the same time, the US and the Philippines remain
great friends and allies and that we can, maybe change the nature of the relationship
and we want it very much to be partner with the Philippines and at the same
time some of the values of democracy and our shared beliefs and our family ties
all for us to renew this relationship and I think that’s what his visit
represented.
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