Malacanang has confirmed that President Vladimir Putin called President Benigno Aquino III last Thursday night to discuss the Russian leader’s inability to attend the 2015 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting slated Nov. 17 to 20 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
”President Putin discussed with President Aquino the reasons for his inability to attend the APEC Summit to which President Aquino replied that he understood fully well the issues that are confronting the Russian government,” Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a media briefing on Friday.
”He (President Aquino) also understands the need of President Putin to stay in his country to ensure that the reasons behind some of their domestic issues are fully investigated and threshed out,” she added.
Valte was referring to the ongoing investigation of the Russian plane that crashed last October 31 in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, killing all the 224 people on board.
Valte said the two leaders also discussed matters related to the Philippines and Russia bilateral cooperation.
”The Russian delegation will be headed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev,” Valte said.
The Malacanang Palace also expressed regret that Indonesia President Joko Widodo will not also be able to attend the APEC Summit.
”We are awaiting formal confirmation from our friends in the Indonesian government on their representative to be sent to the summit next week,” Valte said.
”It is quite regretful that President Joko Widodo will be most likely be unable to attend the summit. We understand that the pressing matters back home require his immediate attention,” she added.
Except for Putin and Widodo, all the leaders of the 21-nation APEC have confirmed their attendance in the next week’s APEC Summit.
LATEST STORIES
Japan makes inaugural deployment of coastguard vessel to Australia
The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) will for the first time deploy a vessel to Australia, as part of efforts to strengthen counter-piracy measures in Southeast Asia. The vessel, the 3,300-tonne Souya-class … [Read More...]
Navy admiral’s visit reaffirms strong US-PH alliance
MANILA -- The visit of US Chief-of-Navy Operations, Admiral John Richardson, to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City gave both the Philippines and the … [Read More...]
ADAS 2018 OBSERVATIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS
I was able to attend the 2018 Asian Defense and Security (ADAS) at the World Trade Center (WTC) in Manila recently, and every time the event is held (every two years) it always seem to get bigger and … [Read More...]
US reiterates offer to sell F-16 jets to PH: Lorenzana
MANILA -- The US government reiterated its offer to supply the Philippines with the Lockheed Martin F-16. The offer took place during Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin … [Read More...]
Philippine Air Force’s New C-130 SABIR Kit Includes an ELTA Radar
The kit incorporates, among other systems, an electro-optical imager and a variant of ELTA Systems' EL/M-2022 synthetic aperture radar The 300th Air Intelligence and Security Wing (AISW) of the … [Read More...]
PHL, China to hold joint military exercises in Zhanjiang
The Philippines will hold joint military exercises with China during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-China military exercise to be held in Zhanjiang, China on October 22 to 29, the … [Read More...]