RP, NZ eye air services tie-up

CEBU –  The Philippines and New Zealand are eyeing air services agreement and enhanced energy cooperation to increase trade and investments as well as people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

President Arroyo and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark met here Sunday ahead of the 2nd East Asian summit and discussed  the possibility of forging an air services agreement between their countries to prevent tax avoidance and promote police cooperation.

A statement released by the summit organizers said Clark was elated by the idea, saying the Philippines was the only member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation without an air linkage with New Zealand.

Travel between the two countries would be reduced by as much as six hours if an air services agreement is finally signed, Clark said.

The leaders also discussed the need to tap renewable energy sources and other areas of cooperation in that sector.

The details are expected to come out during Mrs. Arroyo’s visit to New Zealand, and also Australia, after the elections in May this year.

This is to reciprocate the official visit of Clark to the country last year. Clark spent most of her visit in the province of Bohol.

According to Clark, New Zealand has the technology, particularly in geothermal energy, which could be helpful to the Philippines.

On the other hand, Mrs. Arroyo told Clark that the Philippines and other ASEAN countries’ rich natural energy resources were just waiting to be tapped.  

The two leaders also agreed that using renewable sources of energy would help the environment and prevent global warming resulting from excessive use of fossil fuels. 

Mrs. Arroyo and Clark signed with 14 other leaders the Cebu Declaration on East Asian Energy Security to promote the production, use and free trade of biofuels and other alternatives sources of energy at the end of the 2nd East Asian summit here yesterday.