Pinas, Italy inaasahang pag-uusapan na pagbutihin pa ang military cooperation – envoy

INAASAHAN na pag-uusapan ng Pilipinas at Italy ang pagpapalakas sa ugnayan sa pagtatanggol.

Ito ang sinabi ni  Italian Ambassador to the Philippines Marco Clemente kasunod ng pagdating ng Italian navy ship Francesco Morosini sa Maynila para sa isang “goodwill visit.”

Sinabi ni Clemente, kapwa  ginagawa ng dalawang panig ang makakaya nito para isapinal ang memorandum ukol dito.

“There will be negotiations also to reach a more, let’s say, more clear juridical context in the form of some agreements to improve the cooperation in the military industry context,” ani Clemente.

“The Italian technology in this field is amazing… We have a lot to offer, and I’m glad to say that the Philippines, they have a lot to ask, and they are very interested in our technology,” dagdag na wika nito.

Pinagtibay naman ni Clemente ang posisyon ng Italy na ang  “rules-based international order” ay dapat na manaig  sa pinagtatalunang katubigan.

Suportado naman nito ang 2016 landmark ruling ng  tribunal sa The Hague kung saan pinanindigan ang  sovereign rights ng Maynila sa loob ng exclusive economic zone (EEZ) nito sa pinagtatalunang South China Sea (SCS).

Ayon kay Clemente, “the legally binding arbitral award “set clear the concept that international law should always rule, as far as the law of the sea is concerned.”

“I think that the mission of the Morosini is in line with this award,”  aniya pa rin.

Nauna rito, nagsagawa naman ng port call ang  Italian vessel  sa  Maynila bilang bahagi ng five-month naval campaign sa Indo-Pacific region.

Sinabi ni Clemente na ang paglilibot ng barko ay “a clear signal” na mahalaga ang rehiyon sa Italy at nais ng kanyang bansa (Italy) na magkaroon ng mahalagang papel para tiyakin ang katatagan sa lugar.

“Italy is very much interested in the stability of the region, and this is a military aspect also that must be thrashed out during the meetings that will take place in the context of this visit,” aniya pa rin.

“The Indo-Pacific region is crucial not only for obvious geostrategic reasons, but also let’s not forget that through this area, the main bulk of the international trade goes through. So, stability in this region means also free trade and stability of the economic situation, which is in the interest of all countries,” ang paliwanag ni Clemente.  (Daris Jose)