U.S. TO SELL APACHE HELICOPTERS TO INDONESIA

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Hagel Announces U.S. Deal to Sell Helicopters to Indonesia
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 26, 2013 - In a first-of-its-kind deal worth about $500 million, the United States has agreed to sell eight new Apache AH-64E attack helicopters and Longbow radars to Indonesia, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said here today.

Hagel announced the deal during a joint news conference with Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro after productive meetings this afternoon with Yusgiantoro and earlier today with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The secretary is visiting Indonesia as part of an eight-day, four-nation trip that has included a stop in Malaysia and will take him this week to Brunei and the Philippines.

"Providing Indonesia these world-class helicopters is an example of our commitment to help build Indonesia's military capability," Hagel said.

The U.S. military will train Indonesian pilots and help in developing tactics, techniques and procedures for operating in the Southeast Asian security environment, a senior defense official said, adding that details of the delivery and training timeline are being determined.

The agreement represents a significant advance in military capabilities by a key U.S. partner and is the sort of investment the United States believes is prudent to support security in the Asia-Pacific region, the official said.

The new capability "will help Indonesia respond to a range of contingencies, including counterpiracy operations and maritime awareness," he added.

"The United States is committed to working with Southeast Asian nations to grow defense capabilities and deepen military-to-military cooperation with all of our partners," the official said.

During the news conference with Yusgiantoro, Hagel said it has been impressive to watch a democratic Indonesia emerge as one of the most important contributors to peace and prosperity, not only in Asia, but also globally.

"Helping ensure the region's security and prosperity is a goal the United States strongly shares," the secretary said. "The strong and enduring security partnership that has been built between the United States and Indonesia is a relationship the United States greatly values."

Hagel said President Barack Obama looks forward to his October visit to Indonesia and to deepening ties between the two countries.

Progress on security includes increasingly complex exercises between the two militaries, and growing defense, trade and high-level policy engagement, the secretary added.

The two militaries recently launched an initiative to share best practices in defense planning and management to increase Indonesian military capability, Hagel said, and next month the United States and Indonesia will cohost a counterterrorism exercise under the framework of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus.

ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, whose 10 member states are Burma, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Defense ministers from these nations attend the annual ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting, or ADMM. And the ADMM-Plus is made up of ASEAN members and eight dialogue partners: the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, New Zealand and Russia. This year's ADMM-Plus meeting will be start tomorrow in Brunei.

Hagel said the United States welcomes Indonesia's leadership in promoting regional security cooperation through ASEAN and regional forums such as the East Asia Summit.

"The United States is committed to further strengthening the U.S.-ASEAN relationship and I look forward to meeting with my counterparts this week at the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting- Plus in Brunei to address the many security challenges we face in this region," he said.

Developing long-term and enduring solutions to challenges like maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, counterterrorism, and the peaceful management of disputes in the South China Sea calls for greater cooperation and respect for rules and norms among all parties and the institutions that underpin them, the secretary noted.

"I am also pleased to be able to announce that the U.S. and Indonesia have pledged mutual support and cooperation on the search and recovery of U.S. personnel missing from World War II," Hagel said.

Several Indonesian ministries have oversight of such requests, including defense, education and culture, and research and technology. All have agreed to process future requests from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, a joint task force within the Defense Department whose mission is to account for Americans listed as prisoners of war, or missing in action, from all past wars and conflicts.

The United States believes that about 1,800 U.S. personnel are still missing in action from World War II in the waters and lands of Indonesia, a senior defense official said, adding that while not all are recoverable, current research indicates that hundreds ultimately may be found and brought home.

"The United States commitment to this effort is important to our personnel serving today," Hagel said, "to make clear that we stand by our pledge to leave no one behind."

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

 

FROM: U.S. NAVY

Sailors and Marines man the rails aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) while entering Hong Kong. Peleliu is the flagship for the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group on deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jasmine Sheard (Released) 130415-N-SH505-028

Hundreds of San Narciso residents cross the new San Pascual footbridge following an official ribbon cutting ceremony. The footbridge was one of seven engineering civic action projects completed by Combined/Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force (CJCMOTF) units in support of exercise Balikatan 2013, an annual Philippine-U.S. bilateral exercise. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chris Fahey (Released) 040414-N-VN372-002.


 

U.S. DEPUTY DEFENSE SECRETARY CARTER ON THE U.S.- PHILIPPINE ALLIANCE

Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter, right center, meets with Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, left center, at the Ministry of Defense in Manila, the Philippines, March 19, 2013. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Carter: U.S., Philippines Enjoy 'Longstanding' Alliance
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

MANILA, Philippines, March 19, 2013 - On the third stop of his weeklong trip to Asia, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter met today with top officials here and carried greetings from President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to be delivered to President Benigno Aquino III.

During meetings with the president's executive secretary, Paquito Ochoa, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Carter discussed a range of regional range of regional security issues important to the U.S.-Philippines alliance.

Carter began his visit in Manila by meeting with Gazmin at Camp Aguinaldo, the military headquarters of the Philippine Army and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or AFP. The men discussed the importance of the U.S.-Philippines alliance, including the continued U.S. commitment to work together on maritime domain awareness, capacity building of the AFP, defense modernization and continued assistance in counterterrorism. Carter emphasized the importance of working together to resolve incidents.

Later in the day, Carter met with del Rosario and senior Foreign Affairs Department officials, followed by a lunch that del Rosario hosted. The two discussed a range of issues including U.S.-Philippine efforts to enhance cooperation across security, diplomatic and economic sectors, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and a code of conduct for resolving disputes in the South China Sea, as well as other bilateral and regional topics.

Carter wrapped up his Manila visit by meeting with Ochoa at the Malacanang Palace complex. The deputy defense secretary addressed issues involving the U.S. rebalance to Asia and concerns about the possible impact to that effort because of defense budget cuts. Discussions ranged from ASEAN and the regional security architecture to Philippine defense modernization efforts.

During a media interview this afternoon, Carter said he came here "because this region of the world is so important to America's future in many ways -- political and economic, but also in the security sphere."

And because of his position as deputy defense secretary, he said, "obviously, I'm focused on the security area. In that context, the United States has deep and abiding security roots here."

As he met with officials, Carter took time to share a more personal reason for his appreciation of the Philippines. A physicist by training, the deputy defense secretary received part of that training in at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In the coffee room there, he got to know a senior fellow from the MIT Center for International Studies.

"He was such a great advisor and mentor to students," Carter said of the man who turned out to be Benigno Aquino Jr., father of the current president of the Philippines. Aquino was assassinated in 1983.

"He and his wife would come to social events at MIT, ... and I got to know them and had great affection for them, ... so I've always had a little place in my heart for the Aquino family," he said. "And that's another good reason to be here in the Philippines."

The United States and the Philippines "have lots of human connections together, all of us," Carter said, "as well as having important global responsibilities and regional responsibilities that we exercise together."

U.S. engagement is part of what has helped to maintain the region's security structure since World War II, he added. Such engagement has allowed Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia "to rise and prosper because they've had peace and security, and now China and India are rising and prospering."

The Philippines, Carter observed, "is a longstanding friend and ally and partner with us in providing that kind of security."

The United States recognized the Philippines as an independent state and established diplomatic relations in 1946. Except for the 1942-to-1945 Japanese occupation during World War II, the Philippines had been under U.S. sovereignty since the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, according to a State Department fact sheet.

The U.S.-Philippine Bilateral Strategic Dialogue -- the third held last December in Manila -- advances discussion and cooperation on bilateral, regional and global issues. The United States has designated the Philippines a major non-NATO ally, and the nations have close security ties.

The Manila Declaration, signed in 2011, reaffirmed the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty as the foundation for a robust, balanced and responsive security partnership. Such a treaty, Carter said, "opens the door to the U.S.-Filipino relationship, which exists along with other key treaty relationships in the region."

During this week's Asia trip, the deputy defense secretary has visited South Korea and Japan, which are also key treaty partners. And the United States has important treaty relationships with Australia and Thailand.

"These longstanding treaty relationships and other kinds of emerging partnerships are ... part of a historical role that we play with countries in this part of the world -- to protect them, to protect us, but also, very importantly, that is what provides the foundation for peace and security in the region," he said.

"That's the climate in which all countries, the Philippines among them, have been able to ... develop politically and prosper economically in an environment of peace," Carter said. "That's what everybody deserves, and that's what we're about when we talk about our alliance with the Philippines and our alliance structure in this part of the world."

U.S. NAVY DENTIST READIES TO PROVIDE FREE DENTAL CARE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) William Lyons has dedicated nearly 25 years to providing humanitarian aid in developing countries. He is preparing to deploy to the Philippines to provide dental care. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kenneth Jasik

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Face of Defense: Dentist Looks Forward to Humanitarian MissionBy Marine Corps Cpl. Kenneth Jasik
1st Marine Logistics Group

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., Jan. 25, 2013 - A Navy dentist with 1st Dental Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, is preparing for a deployment to the Philippines, where he will provide free dental care for the local population.

Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) William Lyons, a native of Dubuque, Iowa, has been serving in humanitarian assistance projects for nearly 25 years.

"It's one of the best things I think a person could do," he said. "It's rewarding in more ways than money could ever be."

Lyons recalled a girl in Vietnam who was about 10 years old and had broken off a front tooth. "She didn't have it fixed for a long time, and I was able to put on a restoration to restore the contour and aesthetics," he said. "The smile that little girl gave me back is just something I'll never forget."

Lyons has been to Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam to provide dental care.

"Every place has its own unique experiences, meeting the different people," he said. "They are friendly and just all-around good people. It makes you happy just to provide treatment for them."

Lyons is prepared to deploy to the Philippines in early March, and said he is very excited for another opportunity to help a community.

"If one wants to go to a country and meet the people, volunteer work is an excellent way to do that," he said. "You're going to link up with some local people, and they'll take you into their group and show you things you wouldn't see as a tourist."

Lyons said he learns new things every time he volunteers. Whether on the home front in San Diego or overseas in an impoverished country, he said, he is ready to help.

"Regardless of what you are doing, it improves you in a sense that is not easy to explain," he added. "You get a lot of self-satisfaction out of it."

JOINT STATEMENT U.S.-PHILIPPINES MINISTERIAL DIALOGUE

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Joint Statement of the United States-Philippines Ministerial Dialogue
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 30, 2012

The U.S.-Philippines Alliance: Charting a Course Forward
Following is the text of a joint statement by the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines issued on April 30, 2012, in Washington, D.C.

I. Preamble
The U.S.-Philippines alliance is stronger than ever, reflecting the deep and abiding ties linking our two nations and forged through a history of shared sacrifice and common purpose. Seventy years ago this month, thousands of U.S. and Filipino troops served together in defense of our last strongholds at Corregidor and Bataan. Later, when we signed our Mutual Defense Treaty in 1951, we united against the spread of communism. Today, Americans and Filipinos are inextricably bound by common values and shared aspirations, including a commitment to democracy and the rule of law, building a robust economic partnership, and deepening people-to-people ties.

Our alliance remains an anchor for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. With this in mind, our Ministers meet today in Washington to reaffirm the Manila Declaration signed by our governments on November 16, 2011 and to ensure that our alliance remains robust, agile, and responsive in order to meet changing global and regional dynamics. Our consultations seek to address common strategic and security objectives, promote economic cooperation, advance people-to-people ties, and enshrine principles of good governance and the rule of law.

The Ministers reaffirm our shared obligations under the Mutual Defense Treaty and our mutual commitment to the peace and security of the region.

II. Common Strategic Objectives
The United States and the Republic of the Philippines articulate the following shared objectives characterizing our collective and individual engagements in the Asia-Pacific region:
Enhance peace, security, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific.

Support efforts to increase cooperation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM+), the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the East Asia Summit (EAS).

· Reaffirm our common interest in maintaining freedom of navigation, unimpeded lawful commerce, and transit of people across the seas and subscribe to a rules-based approach in resolving competing claims in maritime areas through peaceful, collaborative, multilateral, and diplomatic processes within the framework of international law, including as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Recognizing the outstanding contributions of the Philippines as the ASEAN country coordinator for the United States since 2009, ensure a smooth transition as Burma assumes this role in July.

Strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation on humanitarian and disaster relief preparedness activities and enhancing combined capabilities in responding to natural disasters.

Support expanded regional counterterrorism cooperation through intelligence sharing and coordination of surveillance and interdiction efforts.

Encourage the efforts at the regional and international levels including the East Asia Summit to promote nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. We agreed that we should continue to work together to ensure compliance and implementation of relevant United Nations non-proliferation commitments and to pursue cooperation through multilateral mechanisms.

Reduce all types of environmental degradation including illegal fishing, deforestation, poaching of endangered species, climate change, and destruction of coral reefs.

Cooperate in the prevention and eradication of piracy.

III. Security Partnership
The United States and the Republic of the Philippines reaffirm our shared obligations under the Mutual Defense Treaty, which remains the foundation of the U.S.-Philippines security relationship. In seeking to enhance our security cooperation, we intend to do the following:
Continue to hold discussions through the Bilateral Strategic Dialogue Defense Working Group and the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board on further enhancing the defense and security aspects of our alliance on the basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit, in accordance with both countries’ domestic laws and constitutional processes, and the Mutual Defense Treaty, the Agreement Relating to Military Assistance, the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement and the Agreement Regarding the Treatment of United States Armed Forces Visiting the Philippines (Visiting Forces Agreement).

Jointly explore modalities for strengthening the defense capabilities of the Philippines in order to establish a minimum credible defense posture through robust cooperative security assistance programs.

Affirm that our respective military forces should be prepared to respond in a timely and effective way to the range of contingencies that may arise in our region, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and should be able to work with the armed forces of regional partners.

Ensure that our collective defense capabilities and communications infrastructure are operationally and materially capable of countering the full spectrum of traditional and non-traditional threats.

Cooperate on building the Philippines’ maritime security presence and capabilities and strengthening its maritime domain awareness in order to contribute to national defense and enhanced regional security related to issues such as illegal fishing, transnational crime, and natural disasters. To that end, the United States intends to transfer a second High Endurance cutter to the Philippines this year.

Review joint exercises and training activities and afford priority to those that have high value and great impact with regard to our common objectives, such as but not limited to maritime security.

Continue our joint counterterrorism efforts, including through U.S. non-combat support to the Philippine security services in combating al-Qaida-linked terrorist groups in the southern Philippines.
Continue joint training and exercises such as the recently completed Exercise Balikatan 2012 to enhance force interoperability.

Support the National Coast Watch System and work to expand joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) activities to deter and respond proactively, rapidly, and seamlessly to various situations in the region.

Enhance cooperation in information sharing in a timely manner particularly during emergent situations, and work towards establishing appropriate mechanisms for this purpose.

Maintain our cooperation with respect to the protection of cyberspace. Enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure to counter cyber threats.

Strengthen cooperation and participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations.

IV. Burgeoning Economic Relationship
The United States and the Republic of the Philippines are long-standing economic partners that share a mutual commitment to free trade, economic opportunity, and poverty reduction. We intend to work together to deepen and enhance our bilateral economic relationship through the following:
 Reaffirm the Partnership for Growth Joint Statement of Principles signed in Manila on November 16, 2011 and seek to mobilize a broad range of US and Philippine entities within and outside our governments to achieve a more accelerated, sustained, and inclusive growth path for the Philippines.

Endeavor to increase bilateral trade and investment through continuing our Trade and Investment Framework Agreement discussions, among other efforts.

Note our shared desire to continue discussing the Philippines’ interest in eventually joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. Seek to support cooperative activities that promote readiness in key areas, including mutually beneficial legislative measures that may serve as building blocks to the TPP.

Continue implementation of the five-year, $434 million (USD) Millennium Challenge Corporation compact between the United States and the Philippines in order to reduce poverty, promote inclusive economic growth, and create new opportunities for the Filipino people.

Reaffirm the U.S.-Philippines customs and trade facilitation agreement signed during the 2011 APEC summit in Honolulu.

Support programs to increase tourism exchanges between the two countries, and identify and address obstacles to more vibrant tourist exchanges.

V. Mutual Commitment to Government Transparency and the Rule of Law
Our nations are committed to principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Convention against Corruption, and other applicable international instruments related to human rights and good governance.
As joint steering committee members of the Open Government Partnership, we support a set of common principles guiding the relationship between governments and their citizenry. We support continued efforts to promote greater government transparency and the rule of law.

Among other measures, we intend to promote the establishment of a National Justice Information System for the Philippines, an integrated criminal justice database system that will facilitate the efficient recording, monitoring, tracking and reporting of crimes, cases, offenders, and victims.
We also intend to continue our close cooperation in countering the global scourge of trafficking in persons.

VI. Conclusion
The U.S.-Philippines alliance remains an essential element undergirding regional peace, security, and prosperity. As our nations reflect on the strength and durability of our alliance, we also look to enhance our relationship in order to address even more effectively the range of regional challenges and opportunities that are of interest to both our governments. Both nations therefore resolve to continue our regular consultation and coordination on these issues.

FUNDING OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TRAINING

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Intellectual Property Training Programs Funded
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 19, 2012
As part of U.S. efforts to combat transnational crime and promote the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) worldwide, the U.S. Department of State has approved twelve projects totaling $2.6 million in Fiscal Year 2011 anticrime funds. These projects will enable U.S. law enforcement agencies and diplomatic missions to collaborate on the delivery of IPR protection criminal enforcement training and technical assistance programs for foreign law enforcement partners.

Training and technical assistance in the investigation and prosecution of IPR crime will be provided to foreign law enforcement partners in nations across the Pacific Rim, Latin America, and sub-Saharan Africa. The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs selected the projects after considering input from the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, other federal agencies, our overseas missions, Congress, and industry representatives.

The twelve projects are:
1) Africa - Western Regional Workshops $182,000
Training for West African customs authorities on methods to identify and seize infringing goods.
2) Africa - Sub-Saharan Regional Workshops $525,920
Workshops for Sub-Saharan African law enforcement partners focusing on border enforcement, following the money trail, organized crime involvement in trafficking of counterfeit medicines, and gathering electronic evidence.
3) Africa - East Central Regional Workshops $255,936
Regional training for East African law enforcement authorities in combating counterfeit medicines which threaten human health and safety.
4) ASEAN $242,329
A series of workshops for Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) member state judges and prosecutors focused on judicial and prosecutorial management of IPR cases, especially those that involve transnational organized crime.
5) Brazil $150,644
Training seminars through the U.S. Embassy partnership with the Brazilian Government focusing on “notorious markets” identified in the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Special 301 Out-Of-Cycle reviews.
6) Chile $100,000
Training for Chilean judges on handling IPR crimes cases, including development of a judicial bench book and follow up monitoring by the U.S. Mission.
7) Colombia $70,000
Training for the Colombia National Police on combating IPR crime.
8) South Asia Regional $210,185
Joint workshops with Indian, People’s Republic of China, and ASEAN IPR enforcement officials to strengthen and build stronger cross-border partnerships.
9) Mexico $438,814
Training for Mexican enforcement partners on following the money trail, digital evidence in online piracy cases, and border and customs enforcement.
(10) Philippines $175,171
Seminars for Philippine judges and prosecutors on courtroom and case management procedures in IPR cases.
(11) Thailand $184,000
Training for Thai judges, customs officials, and prosecutors to strengthen skills needed to carry out Thai IPR reforms.
(12) Turkey $106,375
Training for Turkish judges and law enforcement officials involved in new special IPR courts.