Duterte: To Russia

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By: Leila B. Salaverria - Reporter / @LeilasINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 12:38 AM May 20, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

ROBINSON NIAL JR./ Presidential Photo
President Duterte will travel to Russia next week in a landmark trip
that will open a new chapter in nascent Philippine-Russian relations,
the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday.

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Mr. Dutertes official visit to Moscow and St. Petersburg from May 23
to 26 comes after both countries agreed to revive a Joint
Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation in January.

For the first time in its 40-year relations, the two countries will also
exchange defense attachs as part of freshly minted security
relations, DFA Assistant Secretary Maria Cleofe Natividad said.
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Mr. Duterte and Russian President Vladimir Putin will also witness the
signing of agreements on defense, military and technical
cooperation, mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, extradition
and cooperation between national security councils, Natividad said.

Aside from scheduled bilateral meetings with Putin and Russian Prime
Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Mr. Duterte is also expected to speak at
the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
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Natividad said Mr. Duterte will speak about the governments
independent foreign policy and his ideas on how to achieve peace
and security.

Agreements on trade and investment and the peaceful use of nuclear

energy are expected as well.

Russia is looking to provide the Philippines with military equipment,

and Natividad said the agreement on military and technical
cooperation could pave the way for this.

Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/157011/duterte-russia-

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