Australia signs ‘comprehensive partnership’ pact with Philippines ...

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and Australia yesterday signed agreements on comprehensive partnership and exchange of technical-vocational students.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull indicated greater defense cooperation between the two countries after a talk with President Aquino during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which was followed by a bilateral meeting at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza.

“We’ve had a very good discussion about the work we can do together in terms of defense cooperation and we appreciate your thanks for the landing craft – the heavy landing crafts that we provided to the Philippines,” Turnbull said.

“We look forward to more support in that area,” he added.

The Philippines has only two Visiting Forces Agreement with other countries – the US and Australia.

The defense and security arrangements are necessary in light of the absence of foreign military bases in the Philippines where the 1987 Constitution prohibits the establishment of such military facilities, Aquino said earlier.

Aquino and Turnbull signed the agreement on “comprehensive partnership” while the memorandum of understanding in cooperation on the Technical, Educational and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Technical Vocational Education and Training was signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell.

Press Secretary Herminio Coloma, who was privy to the bilateral meeting, said Aquino thanked the Australian government for the “donation of two landing craft, support to AFP modernization, and humanitarian assistance and disaster risk reduction management.”

With regard to the global threat on terrorism, Aquino told Turnbull that Manila “is keen on working with other countries to achieve de-radicalization of individuals and groups that pose security threats.”

At the same time, Aquino “expressed appreciation for Australia’s continuing support on many aspects of development: Public-Private Partnership, peace process, technical-vocational education and training, PPP for infrastructure development.”

Aquino also thanked Turnbull for the aid extended to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.

For his part, the Australian leader acknowledged that the two countries need to expand trade and his government is “keen to continue helping the Philippines in terms of providing more equipment for defense and disaster risk reduction.”

“We are also very appreciative of the advice that you have given us in terms of the global struggle against terrorism,” Turnbull said.

“I thought your views on the radicalization would particularly be informative and helpful to us as we consider our responses in Australia.” 

“The Philippines is no stranger to violent extremism and your government has been – and your predecessors’ governments have been very strong in their defense of the civil order,” Turnbull said.

The Australian leader also lauded Aquino’s arbitration tack in maritime disputes.

“Can I say that we appreciate very much your commitment to the rule of law in this area, in this region,” Turnbull said.

“Our friendship has deepened further and has been strengthened further by the signing of these agreements that you have just witnessed,” he added.

...vows continued support for anti-ISIS coalition

Australia will continue supporting “shoulder-to-shoulder” the US-led coalition against the militant Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made the assurance during a bilateral meeting with US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila on Tuesday. 

The security challenges in the Middle East featured largely in the discussion between the two leaders.

“Australia is the second largest contributor to the counter-ISIS coalition,” Obama said.

Australia is contributing to the US-led coalition bombing Islamic State targets in Syria.

“We are there, as the President said, as the second-largest foreign contributor to the effort against – the campaign against ISIS. And we will continue, shoulder-to-shoulder, with the United States and our allies in the fight against this type of extremist violence, this type of terrorism,” Turnbull said. 

“We have a common purpose and a common strategy,” he said.

The two leaders discussed the continuing need to ramp up pressure against the extremists and their collaboration in reaching out to the Muslim world and working with them to prevent radicalization and to prevent the kinds of horrific terrorist attacks seen most recently in Paris.

Turnbull said he and Obama were both shocked by the terrible attack in Paris claimed by the ISIS.

“It was a sobering reminder of the threat that terrorism poses to us. But there was comfort in this: total solidarity and sympathy with the people of France. It was absolutely united,” he said.

The discussion also included how the countries can reach out to their own people and Muslim communities in order to ensure that they feel part of American and Australian democracy.  

Obama said the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and maritime rules was discussed during his meeting with Turnbull.

“Since neither of us are claimants in some of the controversies that are taking place in the South China Sea, it’s, I think, very important for us simply to uphold the basic principle that these issues should be resolved by international norms and rule of law, and peacefully settled. And we’re hopeful that that can be accomplished,” Obama said. - Pia Lee-Brago