Russia offers arms, friendship to PH
Russia is ready to supply the Philippines with sophisticated weapons, including aircraft and submarines, and aims to become a close friend of the traditional US ally as it diversifies its foreign ties, Russia’s ambassador said on Wednesday. Illustrating the transformation of Philippine foreign relations under President Duterte, two Russian warships are on a four-day visit to Manila this week.
Russia is ready to supply the Philippines with sophisticated weapons, including aircraft and submarines, and aims to become a close friend of the traditional US ally as it diversifies its foreign ties, Russia’s ambassador said on Wednesday.
President Duterte has thrown the future of PhilippineUS relations into question with angry outbursts against Washington and some scaling back of military ties while taking steps to boost ties with Beijing and Moscow.
Navy visit
Illustrating the transformation of Philippine foreign relations since Mr. Duterte took office in June, two Russian warships are on a four-day visit to Manila this week, the first official Navy-to-Navy contact between the two countries.
Russian Ambassador Igor Anatolyevich Khovaev took the opportunity to hold a news conference on board the antisubmarine vessel, Admiral Tributs.
He said he understood that the Philippines was intent on diversifying its foreign partners.
“It’s not a choice between these partners and those ones. Diversification means preserving and keeping old traditional partners and getting new ones. So Russia is ready to become a new reliable partner and close friend of the Philippines,” Khovaev said.
“We don’t interfere in your relations with your traditional partners and your traditional partners should respect the interest of the Philippines and Russia,” he added.
The Russian Navy visit comes less than a month after Mr. Duterte sent Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to Moscow to discuss arms deals after US Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin said he would block the sale of 26,000 assault rifles to the Philippines due to concern about a rising death toll in a war on drugs launched by Mr. Duterte after taking office in June.
Khovaev said Russia had a range of weapons to offer.
“We are ready to supply small arms and light weapons, some airplanes, helicopters, submarines and many, many other weapons. Sophisticated weapons. Not the secondhand ones,” Khovaev said.
“Russia has a lot to offer but everything will be done in full compliance with international law,” he added.
Mr. Duterte has said China is also offering weapons to help the Philippines fight crime and illegal drugs, and that Beijing is “rushing” him on an arms deal.
Angry at Western criticism of human rights violations in his war on drugs, Mr. Duterte has been talking about distancing the Philippines from the United States and forming a new alliance with China and Russia.
Military cooperation
Khovaev said it was too early to talk about the scope of military cooperation but, in a clear reference to the United States, said old allies should not worry.
“Your traditional partners should not be concerned about the military ties … If they are concerned, it means they need to get rid of clichés,” he said.
Rear Adm. Eduard Mikhailov, deputy commander of the Flotilla of the Russian Navy Pacific Fleet, said on Tuesday that Russia wanted to hold maritime exercises with the Philippines to help combat terrorism and piracy.
The United States and the Philippines have been holding naval exercises annually, but Mr. Duterte has decided to reduce the number of exercises and to move naval drills away from the disputed South China Sea to reassure China, which is suspicious of US military movements in the disputed waters.