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Tuesday, June 06, 2006
RP, Poland may enter into gun production deal
TOP Philippine and Polish defense officials on Monday said they intend to forge a defense cooperation pact that may result in a possible joint venture for the production of firearms and ammunition in the future.
Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz made the revelation shortly after a courtesy call and roundtable discussion with visiting Polish Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and his entire delegation in Camp Aguinaldo.
“We intend to enter into a defense cooperation agreement then explore many areas such as exchange of visits, exchange of information, exchange of technology,” Cruz said in a joint briefing with Sikorski.
“Maybe in the future, we can evolve a joint venture or cooperation on manufacturing small arms and ammunition, provided there is a market and it is a viable and feasible so studies are going to start hopefully towards that end,” said Cruz.
Sikorsi said his government is open to the idea, saying Poland doesn’t want to only sell things to the Philippines. “We would like to invest here,” said Sikorsi, adding however that the details of the agreement have yet to be discussed by businessmen.
“But I think the fact that we have discussed this particular idea at the political level shows you that the government of both countries support such initiatives which I think only makes sense,” said Sikorski.
At the same time, Sikorski expressed “solidarity” with the Philippines in the fight against the “challenge of simultaneous radical Islamic, insurgency and the communist terrorist threats.”
Before turning into a democratic state, Poland was governed by a communist government for 45 years.
Sikorski was briefed by the Philippine military during the roundtable discussion on the ongoing fight against communist rebels. “The briefing I had was very competent so if the fight is as competent as the briefing, I have no doubt that there will success,” he said. (VR/Sunnex)
(June 6, 2006 issue)
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