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| Image: Flickr User - US Embassy Manila |
By Prashanth Parameswaran
The “2+2″ in Washington sees discussion on defense, economics and violent extremism.
The United States and the Philippines discussed boosting their alliance in a ministerial meeting in Washington, D.C. on January 12.
On Tuesday, Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin met with their U.S. counterparts, Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, for the U.S.-Philippine 2+2 ministerial consultations. The meeting was just the second of its kind since the inaugural 2+2 was held back in 2012. It comes as both countries commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
As anticipated, the two sides discussed the full range of issues relevant to the alliance. In remarks following private consultations – which lasted more than two hours – Del Rosario said that the two sides had touched on ongoing defense and security cooperation, economic collaboration, and the threat of violent extremism.
Read the full story at The Diplomat