Transcript of Ambassador Ricciardone’s ambush interview with media at the U.S. Embassy, February 22, 2005

 

Q: Sir, are you worried about the security of the U.S. forces with the ongoing exercises for Balikatan?

A:No, I’m not.

I see General Aglipay’s words to Filipinos as applying to us. Know what you’re doing. Know where you go. Pay attention, and it’s a fine place to be, if you do that.

Q: Sir, does that mean that the travel advisory of the United States for the Philippines has already been lifted?

A:There is no travel advisory. There is a public statement. All that public statement does is relay what General Aglipay has told Filipinos, and it’s rather less alarmist than the media statements, I have to say. It flatly lays out the facts, cautions people to know about where you’re going, pay attention, and if you do that, it’s a fine place to visit…and that’s why I bring my relatives to visit, and why so many of us have our families here. We bring all our families and friends here. We love this place.

Q: Any negative reactions to the advisories justifying…

A:Well, it’s a cultural phenomenon, I think, in the Philippines, that you like to get headlines for things that are negative about your country. That the way life is here, and we accept it and that’s the way it is. We try to have a very flat statement of facts. I would urge anyone who is concerned about this to go to our website and read what the Department of State is saying. It is nothing more than a flat portrayal of the facts here, and the fact is that Americans come here. We do business. It’s a fine place for tourists to go. There are certain places American tourists go, and the Filipino tourists go, and there other places that Filipinos don’t go for tourism, and we suggest to Americans that they shouldn’t go either.

Q: The NPA has threatened again to fire on American soldiers if ever they stray into their areas…

A:Isn’t that sad? I mean, American soldiers come to work with your soldiers in providing dental assistance, medical care, rebuilding to help the people of the Philippines in support of your soldiers doing that. I don’t know why anybody would want to threaten them. As far as we’re concerned, your government has sovereignty over all your territory and wherever your government invites us to come and work with your people, and train with them, we feel that’s legal and proper and appropriate, and we’re not going to listen to anyone who pretends to be the Government of the Philippines. We listen to those who are the Government of the Philippines.

Q: Ambassador, what happened to the proposal by some congressmen during the visit of President Bush here that the Embassy donate some part of its collections from the visa processing to the Philippines?

A:Well, you know, congressmen can say all kinds of things -- I don’t respond to things that are in the media that I haven’t heard directly from them. It’s clear that your government has to generate revenues. Normally, most people who are proud and patriotic believe it’s not a foreign government’s responsibility to generate revenues to build your schools, your hospitals, your roads, your infrastructure, and take care of your people. Most countries believe it’s their own responsibility to do that.

We believe the Philippines can turn a corner. We believe the Philippines can become independent, wealthy even – not just getting by, but wealthy. One of the things you have got to do is learn how to generate your own revenues. We’re going stand by and help you out with limited amounts of economic assistance and military assistance, but you can’t depend on the United States Treasury to do all the things that your government needs to do for itself.

Q: Sir, there have been reports that there is planned defense treaty between the U.S. and the Philippines that would include transnational crimes and measures on anti-terror? Could you please qualify on this?

A:I’ve seen the media reporting on that. Clearly, your government is thinking ahead and looking to the future relationship. So are we. As we look ahead into the future, if your government decides it would like to post a new treaty or something, we’ll be interested to talk about it. But so far we haven’t pursued that idea very far forward.

Q: …but you haven’t decreased the assistance for the Armed Forces…?

A:Right, we’re working under current – your question was about treaties and future treaties – we have treaties in place that enable us to do an awful lot together. We’re delighted to be doing what we’re doing together and we mean to press forward with it.

Q: Mr. Ambassador…

A:Come on inside and see the inside of this lovely Embassy.

Q: Is it true that your term would be finished soon?

A:I hope not. I love the Philippines. I wish there was such a thing as Ambassador for life to the Philippines, but we don’t have that job in my country. I’m just starting my fourth year. Really yesterday, I started my fourth year in this country. I want to stay as long as I can into this fourth year. I’m only concentrating on this job. There’s so much to do, and I’m not looking forward to leaving anytime soon. I don’t expect I will be leaving anytime immediately.

Q: Okay. Thank you, sir.

 

* * * * *