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SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE AT THE PLENARY SESSION OF THE FORUM OF THE VALDAI INTERNATIONAL DISCUSSION CLUB IN RUSSIA

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SPEECH OF

PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

AT THE PLENARY SESSION OF THE FORUM OF THE VALDAI INTERNATIONAL DISCUSSION CLUB

“WORLD ORDER SEEN FROM THE EAST”

[Delivered at the 1389 Polyana Hotel Valdai Hall in Sochi, Russia | 03 October 2019]

President Putin; Heads of States; the Valdai Discussion Club; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen:

Good afternoon.

For over two decades after the end of the Cold War, Philippine foreign policy hardly evolved. Russia, for instance, remained on the margins of our diplomacy.

I viewed this as an oversight of strategic proportion. A result of bureaucratic inertia. A symptom of blind attachment to bygone views and assumptions. And a massive failure to grasp change and seize new opportunities.

The Filipino nation, of course, deserve better.

Thus, when I assumed the presidency in 2016, I vowed to correct this. In 2017, I visited Russia for the first time. Although it was cut short, I believe it led to meaningful and historic developments in our relations.

When I say it was cut short, I had to go home because the Marawi, a city in Mindanao in the Philippines was a brewing, evolving into an endless violence.

We intend to stay [on] this path and that is why I am very glad to be here for the second time. I thank President Putin for the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to a robust and comprehensive Philippines-Russia partnership.

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