MULING nakipagtalakayan si AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr. kay US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Charles Brown Jr. nang dumalaw ang US official sa Camp Aguinaldo.
Sumentro ang pulong sa pagpapalakas ng bilateral defense cooperation at mapalakas pa ang joint military exercises at pagharap sa mga hamon sa regional security.
“Our alliance with the United States remains a cornerstone of our national security. Through continued collaboration and mutual support, we fortify our defense capabilities and ensure the stability of our region,” ani Brawner, Jr.
Ayon kay Brawner , matatag ang kanilang ugnayan dahil sa tagal at dami ng kanilang pagsasama sa mga AFP at US forces joint activities gaya ng training exercises, humanitarian assistance at disaster response.
“I do see that the relationship is gaining momentum,” sagot naman ni Gen Brown sa US-Philippines ties kasunod ng pahayag na “I think it’s a positive trajectory.”
Sa naging pagbisita ni Brown, itu-tour ni Brawner si Brown sa isa sa Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites sa bansa.
“In the Philippines, we have a long-standing, shared interest in regional stability that’s backed by international law,” ayon kay Brown.
“The Philippines is one of our oldest treaty allies in the region.”aniya pa rin.
Inihayag naman ni Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, AFP Spokesperson ang pagbisita ni Brown ay patunay ng “solid commitment” ng Washington sa kanilang alyansa sa Pilipinas.
“Pinapakita nito ‘yong sinasabi nila na solid ‘yong commitment ng US in this alliance. If you look at the activities that are happening, continuous naman tayo sa lahat ng mga activities that are involving the US,” ayon kay Padilla.
Sa kabilang dako, nakatakda namang magdaosng ng security talks ang Estados Unidos at Pilipinas “in the coming weeks” kasama ang ‘foreign at defense ministers,’ dagdag pa ni Padilla.
Binansagan na “two-plus-two,” inaasahan na ang pagpupulong ay dadaluhan nina Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, Defense Secretary Teodoro Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. at kanilang US counterparts Antony Blinken at Lloyd Austin.
