Duterte off to Russia today

Defense and security cooperation with Moscow to mark new chapter in ties

The Philippines is seeking to boost defense and security cooperation with Russia during President Duterte’s visit to Moscow.

The President is scheduled to depart Davao City on Monday afternoon for an official visit to Moscow upon the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This will be the President’s first visit to Russia that aims to “mark a new chapter in Philippine-Russia relations,” according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Prior to his flight, Duterte has shown enthusiasm about his Russian visit to shop for defense assets, particularly precision-

guided weapons, to help combat the threat of Islamic extremists.

“I’m going to Russia on Tuesday. Same purpose. If they can spare us with the precision guided (weapons),” Duterte told a gathering of coast guard personnel in Davao City last Friday.

“We have so many smart bombs but not the accurate ones. It’s guided by the laser or by the satellites or the dumb bombs which will just hit anything,” he said.

Duterte said the government has been avoiding the use of such dumb bombs “because it could cause so many collateral damage.”

In Moscow, Duterte is set to hold separate meetings with Putin and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Russian businessmen, and the Filipino community.

Among the agreements to be signed are a defense cooperation deal and a military technical cooperation pact. The security deals involve information sharing and training as well as pave the way for the country’s possible acquisition of defense assets from Russia.

Apart from the defense deals, the Philippines and Russia are expected to forge agreements related to legal assistance, trade and investment, peaceful use of nuclear energy, and culture.

The President also aims to enhance the country’s trade and investment relations with Russia during his visit.

“Both the Philippines and Russia recognize that there is a need also to explore the many untapped opportunities for mutually beneficial economic relations,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Cleofe Natividad said.

“At the moment, Russian investments in the Philippines are very modest. And with this visit of the President, we hope we can start to correct that,” she added.

In 2016, bilateral trade between the Philippines and Russia reached $226 million with the Philippines exporting only $49 million worth of goods to Russia.

“Russian investments in the Philippines at best are still miniscule and Russian tourist arrivals in the Philippines are at around 38,000 only, still way below that of many ASEAN countries,” Natividad said.

She said the President will bring along a business delegation that will participate in the Philippine-Russia business forum in Moscow.

“The forum would be an opportune time to share with the Russian companies the benefits of doing business in the Philippines and the very positive investment climate, especially in such areas such as infrastructure, energy, transportation, tourism and others,” she said.

Stronger partnership President Duterte’s landmark visit to Russia is meant to forge a “stronger partnership,” Natividad said.

“It is for this reason that the theme of the visit is ‘Building a Stronger Partnership, a New Chapter in Philippine Russia Relations,’” she said.

Despite the establishment of Philippine-Russia ties almost 41 years ago, Natividad said the bilateral engagement has remained at “a nascent stage” in almost all areas of cooperation. “The relations can be best described as cordial albeit modest in scope and depth,” she said.

“We believe that the President’s visit will be the start of a strong and enduring partnership between the Philippines and Russia that is multidimensional, mutually beneficial and will be in keeping with the principles of sovereignty, non-interference and equality,” she said.

Natividad said the country’s defense cooperation pact with Russia covers greater opportunities for consultation and cooperation in security related matters such fighting terrorism, transnational crimes such as drug trafficking. The two nations are expected to open their respective defense offices in Moscow in Manila.

The President is also expected to share his views on attaining peace and security in the Asia Pacific region during a policy speech at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, according to Natividad.

The President is also expected meet with the Filipinos working and living in Russia on May 25.

“We expect him to be warmly welcomed by a good-sized Filipino community crowd. We have around 5,000 Filipinos in Russia and we heard that they are very strong supporters of the President,” Natividad said.