Yasay to meet with US exec today

MANILA, Philippines – The United States may get some clarity on President Duterte’s pronouncement that the country is separating from Washington when Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel meets today with Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr.

US embassy press attaché Molly Koscina said she could not talk about the possible “focus” of the meeting, but State Department spokesman John Kirby had said earlier Russel’s trip to the Philippines, though scheduled long before Duterte’s statement, would be an opportunity to ferret out what the President meant.

Duterte announced in China last week while on a state visit the “separation” of the Philippines from the US militarily and economically.

On Friday night, he clarified upon his arrival from Beijing that this only meant having more independent policies and not severance of diplomatic ties with the US.

Kirby said Duterte’s statements were confusing while US Ambassador Philip Goldberg said “we’re going through a period of uncertainty that we need to figure out.”

Which is which?

Yasay, in a Facebook post, said “breaking away from our closest friend, only military ally and strategic partner would not be in our best national interest as declared unmistakably” by Duterte but “separation from our former colonial master is demanded in pursuing our independent foreign policy.”

“It implies breaking away from the debilitating mindset of dependency and subservience – economically and militarily – that have perpetuated our ‘little brown brother’ image to America, which has stunted our growth and advancement,” Yasay said.

Like Duterte, Yasay said the separation did not mean “severance of relationship” or terminating the special bond between the two nations, “which remains firm notwithstanding the formidable but surmountable challenges that we face in making liberating change happen.”

“It simply means letting go of the disguised chains that continue to hold us captive to foreign interests in order to enable our people and duly elected leaders to address our urgent problems and needs in the light of our priorities, experiences and values without undue outside interference,” he added.

It is for this reason, according to Yasay, that Duterte has fashioned a new course towards integration and dynamic economic and trade relations with ASEAN and Asian neighbors, especially with China, Japan and South Korea that have offered assistance, support and cooperation without any “political strings attached.”

“Significantly, President Duterte told (Chinese) President Xi Jinping and other key Chinese leaders that if they are not willing to lend their support, assistance and cooperation fairly, justly and in mutual respect, the Filipinos will chart their destiny alone, despite great odds, in their determination not to commit the same mistakes that have worked against the general welfare,” Yasay said.

“This separation means enabling the Philippines as a sovereign equal with all nations in securing world peace not war, forging stronger friendships and not enmity and making our planet a better and safer place for everyone,” he added.

No harsh response, so far

In an interview with reporters earlier, Center for Strategic and International Studies Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative director Gregory Poling said he was giving US officials credit for “keeping their heads down” in the face of criticisms from Duterte.

They said nothing but the “alliance is rock solid,” Poling told The STAR.

“Perhaps what President Duterte expected was a much harsher response and I’m glad to see that hasn’t happened. At least in Washington the importance of the alliance is recognized,” Poling added.

While Duterte has been vocal about his anti-American sentiments, Poling said the tirades were still “definitely unexpected.”

He said the Philippines reaching out to new friends but abandoning its old and valued partners to have independent foreign policies “is an effort that many do not understand.”

Poling, who oversees US foreign policy in Asia Pacific with particular focus on maritime domain and the countries of Southeast Asia, said the US was also supportive of the effort to improve relations between the Philippines and China, thus Washington could not understand why it had to be done at its expense.