22 November 2016 –Philippine Ambassador to Russia, Carlos D. Sorreta discussed the future direction of Philippine-Russia relations in an interview with Mr. Nathan Hodge, Moscow Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and Mr. Thomas Grove, reporter for WSJ at the Philippine Embassy on November 10.  The interview is part of the efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Moscow to engage key media players in Russia.

In his interview, Ambassador Sorreta delved into the decision of the Philippine Government to intensify relations with Russia, including possibly in the area of military-technical cooperation.

Ambassador Sorreta noted that the President has declared his intention to pursue an independent foreign policy.

 “In an interdependent and interconnected world, this could mean less dependence on a single nation and more engagement with the rest of the world,” said the Ambassador.

“One of the important players in this world is Russia and there are many opportunities for mutually beneficial relations between us,” Ambassador Sorreta said, adding, however, that “this does not mean cutting off bilateral ties with other countries, as the President himself has clarified.”

On Philippines-Russia military-technical cooperation, Ambassador Sorreta mentioned that in terms of defense products Russia has almost everything other traditional partners can offer without political conditionalities and other strings attached. Moreover, it provides technology transfer and is flexible on the issue of financing.

While no decision has been made yet on the purchase of Russian weapons, the two sides are laying the foundation for robust military-technical cooperation through exchange of visits and crafting of legal frameworks.

The Wall Street Journal is a business-focused international newspaper, the largest in the United States by circulation. END