DATE=9/14/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S/PHILIPPINES (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-266530
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
INTRO: The Defense Department has confirmed that some
200 U-S Army and Air Force special operations forces
are in the Philippines. But V-O-A Correspondent Alex
Belida reports officials are not linking their
presence to the current hostage crisis in the country.
TEXT: The Pentagon says the American forces are in
the Philippines on a long-planned training mission --
not to take part in any possible military action
against Muslim rebels holding hostages in the south of
the country.
The Pentagon's spokesman, Admiral Craig Quigley, says
he has no knowledge of how Philippine authorities
intend to resolve the hostage crisis.
// QUIGLEY ACTUALITY //
I have no knowledge of the government of the
Philippines intentions as to how they plan
resolving the hostage situation. My hope is
that the terrorists will release the hostages
immediately.
// END ACTUALITY //
Admiral Quigley declines to say whether U-S officials
would respond favorably to a Philippine request that
American special forces take part in any military
action.
But the spokesman stresses the U-S personnel are there
for training, taking advantage of the climate and
landscape in what he says has become a regular series
of such exercises.
Muslim rebels are currently holding more than a dozen
hostages, including an American. The rebels have
threatened to attack cities in the southern
Philippines if the military launches an assault
against them.
Some Philippine news reports have suggested the U-S
forces might be asked to provide support to the
government's own counter-terrorist units in such an
attack. (Signed)
NEB/BEL/PT
14-Sep-2000 17:24 PM EDT (14-Sep-2000 2124 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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