Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
REMARKS OF HIS EXCELLENCY BENIGNO S. AQUINO III PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES AT THE LUNCH HOSTED BY U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON [Delivered in Washington DC on June 8, 2012] Thank you, Secretary Clinton, for the very warm welcome and your gracious hospitality. Secretary Clinton has enjoyed a most distinguished tenure as Secretary of State; and I would like to extend my warmest congratulations for the very active and progressive diplomacy that has characterized the State Department under her leadership. She understands and appreciates Asia’s role in the future global order, and this has guided the US’s efforts at “rebalancing.” This in turn has opened up new opportunities to deepen the engagement between the United States and our region. Secretary Clinton has also made it a point to pursue economic diplomacy; and, unsurprisingly, we have seen the State Department become an active contributor in the ongoing economic recovery here in the United States. Last year, Secretary Clinton paid a visit to Manila, where we celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty. Along 1 with our Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, she signed the Manila Declaration, reaffirming the historic friendship and the partnership between our two nations. We also launched the Partnership for Growth Program, which aims to support our administration’s goal of achieving broad-based economic growth—or, as we call it, inclusive growth; growth that leaves no one behind. The seven months that have gone by since that visit have seen us undertake a series of purposeful and diverse engagements. After President Obama and I went through some substantive discussions in Bali last November, our Senior Officials have been working to move these agreements forward. They met here in January 2012, and our Foreign Affairs and Defense Secretaries paid another visit to the United States in April. When I was reading the reports submitted to me about what exactly happened, I was struck by the character of the discussions, as well as the breadth of the subjects that we are working on together. We are clearly at a new juncture in our relations: while we both remain grounded in our shared history, and in the democratic principles and values we both uphold, our success is also about what we can do together—to build a more stable region, and to achieve an even more prosperous future for both our peoples. 2 That we are here now signifies our desire to further accelerate the achievement of these goals. I see a very rewarding future ahead of us as we work on the different elements that comprise our partnership, such as our ties in defense and security, in our economies, and among our peoples. Indeed, there is much reason to celebrate this enduring kinship and alliance, and to this I propose a toast: To the Secretary and the corps of dedicated Filipino and American professionals who have worked persistently for the enhancement of the relations: May we be able to sustain the momentum we have generated and further deepen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the Philippines and the United States. May we continue to stand shoulder to shoulder as partners committed to each other’s security and prosperity, and invested in building a stable and peaceful region for future generations of Filipino and Americans. And may we, together with all Filipinos and Americans, soon reap the fruits of our efforts to strengthen the relationship between our two countries. 3