[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
[May 19, 2003]
[Pages 510-513]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Joint Statement Between the United States of America and the Republic of 
the Philippines
May 19, 2003

    President George W. Bush today welcomed President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo to the White House on the 
occasion of her State visit to Washington. The two leaders discussed the 
full range of global and bilateral issues and reaffirmed the depth and 
breadth of ties between the United States and the Republic of the 
Philippines. The Presidents agreed that relations are deeper and warmer 
today than at any time in recent history and noted that those ties are 
rooted in shared history, shared values, and a common interest in global 
peace and prosperity. President Bush and President Macapagal-Arroyo paid 
tribute to a revitalized and maturing bilateral alliance and pledged to 
strengthen the partnership further in the years ahead.
    The two leaders noted with 
satisfaction that the U.S.-Philippine alliance continues to play a vital 
role in ensuring mutual security, as it has since the signing of the 
U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty over 50 years ago. In recognition 
of this proud history and continued partnership, the President announced 
his intention to designate the Philippines as a Major Non NATO Ally 
(MNNA). This step will allow the two

[[Page 511]]

countries to work together on military research and development and give 
the Philippines greater access to American defense equipment and 
supplies. President Bush thanked President Macapagal-Arroyo for her 
strong and unequivocal support in the Iraq campaign and expressed 
appreciation for the Philippine government's plans to deploy 
peacekeeping and medical personnel to assist in Iraq's reconstruction. 
The two Presidents reaffirmed their shared commitment to a free Iraq at 
peace with its neighbors. The two leaders also agreed that North Korea's 
nuclear weapons program is unacceptable and stressed that North Korea's 
relations with the Asia-Pacific region hinge on the verifiable and 
irreversible elimination of nuclear weapons capability.
    President Macapagal-Arroyo 
expressed the view that the world had changed on September 11, 2001 and 
that conflict in Iraq had been another milestone in the war on terror. 
She noted that across Asia, there is a growing capability and readiness 
to cooperate on maintaining peace and stability in this new environment, 
and emphasized that the United States' leadership and strategic presence 
in the region are essential for the continuation of this positive trend. 
President Bush welcomed this perspective and reiterated that Asia 
remains a major focus of U.S. foreign policy.
    President Bush praised President Macapagal-Arroyo's agreed to hold another joint 
military activity in the near term, in which the United States will 
provide support to ongoing Armed Forces of the Philippines-led 
operations against the ASG.
    The two leaders agreed on the 
need for a comprehensive approach to defeating terrorism in Southeast 
Asia, recognizing that terrorism knows no borders. The Presidents agreed 
on the need for efforts to alleviate poverty and other socio-economic 
grievances which can create conditions that can be exploited by 
terrorists. President Arroyo expressed appreciation for increased U.S. 
economic and development assistance to the southern Philippines, which 
reinforces the Philippine Government's own efforts to heal divisions in 
Philippine society. To advance this agenda, President Bush informed 
President Macapagal-Arroyo that the United States will train and equip a 
Philippine engineering unit capable of performing civic action and 
humanitarian projects in conflict zones.
    President Bush condemned recent terrorist acts in the southern 
Philippines. President Arroyo 
appreciated the economic assistance recently allocated by the United 
States Congress to support peace in Mindanao. President Bush stated that 
the United States stands ready to provide diplomatic and financial 
support to a renewed peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation 
Front (MILF), provided that the MILF renounced terror.

[[Page 512]]

    The two Presidents agreed that 
the U.S.-Philippine security partnership has never been healthier and 
emphasized the importance of U.S. support for continuing efforts to 
improve the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). 
Toward that end, the two Presidents agreed to launch a comprehensive 
review of Philippine security needs and how best the United States can 
support President Macapagal-Arroyo's plans to modernize and reform the 
AFP. President Bush committed to help address the AFP's most pressing 
needs, particularly in the area of mobility, by providing helicopters 
and spare parts. President Macapagal-Arroyo thanked President Bush for 
his promise of assistance and pledged her government's full support for, 
and participation in, the more comprehensive review.
    The two Presidents expressed 
great pride in the robust economic and trade ties that bind the United 
States and the Philippines, as evidenced by annual bilateral trade 
exceeding $18 billion and cumulative direct private investment of $3.5 
billion. The leaders reviewed progress in implementing President Bush's 
Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative, which is aimed at generating sustained 
economic growth in Southeast Asia. They welcomed the revival of the 
bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement and agreed to resolve 
issues identified in its Trade and Investment Council consultations. 
President Arroyo welcomed the U.S. decision to provide tariff-free 
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) benefits to specific products 
requested by the Philippines and the offer of additional technical and 
capacity building assistance on the protection of intellectual property 
rights.
    President Bush commended President Macapagal-Arroyo highlighted 
the remarkable contributions of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans to 
American economic life. Recognizing the important role that the over 7 
million overseas Filipino workers play in the Philippine and global 
economies, President Bush announced that the United States is launching 
a project to facilitate the flow of remittances from Filipino workers 
around the world back to the Philippines. The two leaders agreed that 
this project would improve the lives of millions of Filipinos by 
lowering the costs of remittance transactions and making it easier for 
funds to flow to the Philippines from the United States and around the 
world.
    The two Presidents reviewed with 
pride the contributions made by Philippine World War II veterans who 
gave so much in defense of freedom. President Bush announced his 
intention to support legislation extending new benefits for Commonwealth 
Army veterans and guerrillas who lawfully reside in the United States. 
He also announced continuing efforts to improve medical care for 
Filipinos veterans in the Philippines by providing medical equipment to 
the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City in the 2004 fiscal 
year.
    Presidents Bush and Macapagal-Arroyo looked forward to the May 20 signing by Secretaries 
Powell and Ople of agreements on assistance for Mindanao, law 
enforcement cooperation, and science and technology cooperation, noting 
that cooperation in these three areas is a priority for both countries.
    President Bush was pleased to accept President Macapagal-
Arroyo's invitation to pay a 
reciprocal visit to the Philippines when he travels to Southeast Asia 
for

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APEC in 2003. The two leaders agreed that to maintain momentum in the 
bilateral relationship, other senior U.S. officials will travel to 
Manila in the coming months, beginning soon with Secretary of Energy 
Abraham and continuing thereafter with 
senior officials from the Department of Treasury and the Agency for 
International Development (AID).

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.