Readout of Secretary Carter's Call with Philippines' Secretary of National Defense Lorenzana
Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter called Philippines Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana today to congratulate him on his new position and reaffirm the strength of the U.S.-Philippines alliance. They also discussed the upcoming UNCLOS Arbitral Tribunal ruling on the Philippines claims in the South China Sea and agreed to consult closely as the ruling is announced. Secretary Carter invited Secretary Lorenzana to visit Washington early in his tenure to discuss ways to continue to deepen and enhance defense cooperation.