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US Defense Secretary: Dissolving Philippines Military Pact a Move in 'Wrong
Direction'

Carla Babb

   BRUSSELS/WHITE HOUSE -- U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper says
   dissolving the bilateral agreement with the Philippines that covers
   visiting U.S. military forces there "would be a move in the wrong
   direction."

   Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte gave formal notice to the United
   States of his decision to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA)
   late Monday after repeated threats to downgrade the two countries'
   military alliance. The 1998 agreement provides legal permission for
   thousands of U.S. troops who rotate into the Philippines for dozens of
   military and humanitarian assistance exercises each year.

   "We just got the notification late last night. We have to digest it,"
   Esper told reporters on route to a NATO conference in Brussels.

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