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Philippines wants U.S. spy plane help in China dispute
Source: Reuters
Exclusive: Philippines wants U.S. spy plane help in China dispute
By Manuel Mogato and Stuart Grudgings
MANILA | Mon Jul 2, 2012 8:27am EDT
(Reuters) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino said on Monday he may ask the United States to deploy spy planes over the South China Sea to help monitor the disputed waters, a move that could worsen tensions with its giant neighbor China.
The two countries only recently stepped back from a months-long standoff at the Scarborough Shoal, a horseshoe shaped reef near the Philippines in waters they both claim. The United States has said it is neutral in the long-running maritime dispute and China has warned that "external forces" should not get involved in the dispute.
"We might be requesting overflights on that," Aquino told Reuters in an interview, referring to U.S. P3C Orion spy planes. "We don't have aircraft with those capabilities."
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The South China Sea is potentially the biggest military flashpoint in Asia, and tensions have risen since the United States adopted a policy last year to reinforce its influence in the region. At stake is control over what are believed to be significant reserves of oil and gas.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
By Manuel Mogato and Stuart Grudgings
MANILA | Mon Jul 2, 2012 8:27am EDT
(Reuters) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino said on Monday he may ask the United States to deploy spy planes over the South China Sea to help monitor the disputed waters, a move that could worsen tensions with its giant neighbor China.
The two countries only recently stepped back from a months-long standoff at the Scarborough Shoal, a horseshoe shaped reef near the Philippines in waters they both claim. The United States has said it is neutral in the long-running maritime dispute and China has warned that "external forces" should not get involved in the dispute.
"We might be requesting overflights on that," Aquino told Reuters in an interview, referring to U.S. P3C Orion spy planes. "We don't have aircraft with those capabilities."
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
The South China Sea is potentially the biggest military flashpoint in Asia, and tensions have risen since the United States adopted a policy last year to reinforce its influence in the region. At stake is control over what are believed to be significant reserves of oil and gas.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/02/us-philippines-aquino-southchina-idUSBRE8610H020120702
