 Former Philippine president |
Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos is pushing for the creation of a new Asia-Pacific security architecture that will bring stability to the region, amid renewed tension on the Korean Peninsula.
In an interview with The Korea Times at the Philippine Embassy in Yongsan, Seoul, Monday, Ramos said this regional security architecture will be based on the concept of partnership, cooperation and burden-sharing among the Asia-Pacific countries.
“Why don’t we look at each other, the ASEAN Regional Forum and its dialogue partners, as partners and allies, and not as military rivals? Because you are preparing scenarios and plans on the assumption that U.S. and China will fight... Why don’t we treat each other as allies?” he said.
Stability in the Asia-Pacific region has been guaranteed by the U.S. for decades, but Ramos said it is time for leaders to work toward an Asia-Pacific peace. For this to be achieved, there must be security cooperation among the most powerful countries and regional blocs, namely the U.S., China, Japan, South Korea, India, Russia and ASEAN.
“Right now it’s Pax Americana (American peace), with the U.S. guaranteeing security and stability, in the region, even in Korea and Japan... If you look at the 10 ASEAN countries as one community and one task force of 600 million people, we can contribute a big force that can protect ourselves from terrorists, piracy, diseases, people smuggling and nuclear trading,” he said.
Instead of spending billions on defense and military, Ramos said the money would be better used for education, health, economy and infrastructure in the region.
Ramos arrived in Seoul Monday for a seven-day state visit, where he will participate in activities to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War (1950-53). He leads a delegation of 30 veterans who fought as members of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK), who were invited by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs as part of its “Revisit Korea” program.
The former Philippine president also praised Seoul as “a moving spirit of regional economic integration,” and Korean trade, investment, technology and tourism for serving as catalysts for economic growth in Southeast Asian countries.
“My experience of Korea has been so strong and so intense that this country’s almost like a second homeland to me. I know the Korean people to be forthright and democratic in spirit, but tough and steadfast in adversity,” he said.
In 1952, Ramos, a graduate of West Point, was assigned as second lieutenant of the 20th battalion combat team. He was considered a hero after commanding a reconnaissance platoon to victory in the Battle of Hill Eerie in 1952 in Cheorwon. During the Korean War, a total of 7,420 Filipino soldiers were sent to Korea, of which 112 were killed.
On Tuesday afternoon, Ramos also donated his books, articles and photographs of the Korean War, as well as a replica of the uniform used by PEFTOK soldiers, to the Korean War Memorial Museum, Yongsan.
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