Friday, July 06, 2007 Editorials: Linking up with Russia
IF this were in an era just barely two decades ago, the thought of Russia setting up diplomatic ties with the Philippines would have been considered impossible.
The Philippines’ foreign policy is so closely knit with the United States our foreign relations confined us to the narrow circle of anti-communist nations.
Our being a former American colony precluded an independent foreign policy.
The strong democratic foundation that underlay the development of the Philippines has set the country’s foreign policy on a path opposite from the one Russia earlier followed.
Three worlds
At the time, nations divided themselves into three sectors based on their respective economies and politics: the so called First, Second and Third Worlds.
The First World was led by the United States, a democratic country perceived as the most developed and the richest country of the earth.
The Second World was led by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), a communist nation and the next most developed country.
Russia was then part of USSR.
The Philippines was in the developing group, the Third World.
But it was regarded more as an American ally (lackey, if you may) and was thus considered with a measure of suspicion.
Policy shift
That, of course, was before the Philippines shed itself of vestiges of American colonial influence and refused to extend the military bases agreement with the US.
The US considered the Philippines’ shift in foreign policy as “recalcitrance” and the country suffered much from US diplomatic retaliatory measures, one of which was the closure of the American consulate in Cebu.
But the Philippines’ reward from the bold foreign policy shift was the worldwide acceptance and recognition of its truly sovereign and independent stature.
Russians
The coming the other day of the Russian ambassador, the first ever official visit made by a diplomat of the nation that had once been leader of global communism, and the opening and designation of an honorary consul in Cebu, demonstrates this point.
It was an event that would have been a tacit no-no not long ago, tantamount to a betrayal of our venerated ties with America.
The Philippines’ strong democratic foundation has withstood the determined communist infiltration of the country in the ‘50s and ‘60s, for which reason the setting up of diplomatic ties here with a democratic Russia is an event worth celebrating.
