EXCLUSIVE NEWS! U.S. Senator Richard Lugar Visits the Philippines Oct. 27-31, 2012 to promote anti-chemical/nuclear/biological weapons

Manila, October 26, 2012 -- United States Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana will visit the Philippines from October 27-31, 2012 to meet with President Noynoy C. Aquino, Foreign Secretary Alberto del Rosario and other government representatives.

The Senator's visit to the Philippines is one stop on a trip to several Asia Pacific nations that is intended to encourage expansion of the Nunn-Lugar Global Cooperative Threat Reduction program. 

This program, which was expanded in 2003 under the Nunn-Lugar Expansion Act, is focused on reducing stockpiles of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, related materials, and delivery systems in nations around the world to address proliferation threats.

“Cooperation is essential to identifying and interdicting the flow of weapons of mass destruction through Southeast Asia. Sources of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons or precursor materials could be states or rogue terrorist elements,” Lugar said.

“Southeast Asia is a major intersection of global trade and commerce by water and air. U.S. strategic economic and foreign policy needs to become more robust in the Asia-Pacific region and Nunn-Lugar Global Cooperative Threat Reduction will be an important tool for our diplomatic and military leaders as we seek a more integrated approach to the region.” 

Senator Lugar is the most senior Republican in the U.S. Senate and the longest serving member of the Senate in Indiana history. He has led efforts at reducing the threat of nuclear weapons around the world and decreasing U.S. dependence on foreign sources of oil.

As both chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, Senator Lugar has always been willing to reach across the aisle to get things done and work toward a bipartisan consensus.