US State Dept officials arrives ahead of Pompeo’s Manila visit 27 SHARES Share it! Share TweetBy Roy MabasaUS State Department Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS) for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Patrick Murphy is now in the country as part of the preparations for Secretary Michael Pompeo’s visit to Manila from February 28 to March 1. According to a US State Department media brief, Murphy will travel first to the Philippines “to support Secretary Pompeo’s visit and meet with Filipino counterparts to discuss issues of mutual interest, in addition to engaging with business and civil society.”Murphy will then fly to New Zealand and Fiji from March 1 to 7. Last December, the Philippine government cited the need to review certain provisions of the 68-year-old treaty given the continuing disputes in the South China Sea. Pompeo is currently in Hanoi, Vietnam where he joins US President Donald J. Trump for the second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Source: Manila Bulletin February 27, 2019 10:14 UTC