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[av_heading heading=’More Russian weapons for PH? ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY NORMAN D. CORDON
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Special Correspondent for 2017 ASEAN Summit
MANILA – Russia expressed willingness to supply more weapons to the Philippines to boost cooperation with Manila in fighting terrorism and extremism.
“We’ll keep standing by your side. We’ll keep assisting you,” Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte during their bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and Related Meetings.
The Philippines and Russia have signed two agreements on the sidelines of the 4th ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus in October at the ASEAN Convention Center in Clark, Pampanga.
The Agreement for Military-Technical Cooperation contained provisions on various areas of military and technical cooperation, such as research, production support, and possible exchange of experts and training of personnel for joint programs.
The two governments also signed a contract for the Philippines’ procurement of defense articles from Rosoboronexport, a Russian state-owned company.
Philippine Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Rosoboronexport director-general Alexander A. Mikheev were the signatories.
In the same month the Philippines also received 20 trucks, 5,000 AK-74M Kalashnikov assault rifles, one million 1943-type cartridges with steel core bullets, and 5,000 steel helmets from Russia.
On Monday Duterte thanked Medvedev, saying the aid came at a “crucial moment” during the armed conflict in Marawi City.
“I would like to thank you personally, Mr. Medvedev, the Russian government and all the Russian people for your support which we received at a crucial moment and which was very important to us,” Duterte said.
“As you all know, we went through a very difficult military-political situation. We managed to defeat terrorism with weapons that Russia sent to us. One of three commanders of the armed gangs was killed with a Russian sniper rifle,” he said.
Duterte likewise expressed the Philippines’ willingness to expand relations with Russia, particularly in trade. Manila may set up an area in Moscow where Filipinos can showcase their products.
“We have started an improvement of our friendship and the plan increases of our trade, expand it, and I know that your country is seriously considering all of these things, and we are happy that we can find a new market in the Euro … Eurasian front,” said the Philippine president.
Medvedev said Russia is likewise ready to expand its political, cultural, trade, and economic ties with the Philippines./PN
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