Diplomatic Relations

OVERVIEW OF PHILIPPINES (PH) - ARMENIA (AM)

BILATERAL RELATIONS

The Philippines established formal diplomatic relations with Armenia on 20March 1992.

Philippines and Armenia both look forward to expanding cooperation in the political, economic, and socio-cultural spheres. A notable milestone was the signing of two agreements on 12 August 2012, the Visa Waiver Agreement for Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders, and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia on the Establishment of a Political Consultation Mechanism. Both documents were signed by Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

The Philippines pursues a general policy of maintaining friendship and cooperation with Armenia with a view towards raising the level of exchanges between the two countries. Engagement mainly involves exchanging support in important candidatures and initiatives in international fora and organizations.

The Philippine Embassy in Moscow exercises jurisdiction over Armenia. H.E. Carlos D. Sorreta presented his credentials to H.E. SerzhSarsyan, President of Armenia, on 04 May 2016 as Non-Resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to the Republic of Armenia.

On 10 June 2014, H.E. RaisaVardanyan presented her credentials to H.E. Benigno S. Aquino III as Non-Resident Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Republic of the Philippines based in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Mr. Albert Taroyan serves as Consul General, as honorem of the Republic of the Philippines in Armenia.

PH-AM BILATERAL TRADE

In 2015, Kazakhstan was the Philippines’ 157^th trading partner.

Trade¹(in US$)
	Total	Exports		Imports	Balance
2016 (Jan-Oct)	172,296	138,602		33,694	104,908
2015	143,527	78,324		65,203	13,121
2014	107,034	99,007		8,027	90,980
2013 2012	53,631 37,654	45,166 18,785		8,465 18,869	36,701 (-84)
Exports (Jan-Oct 2016)			Imports (Jan-Oct 2016)
1. Wrist-watches, electrically operated, whether or not incorporating a stop-watch facility, with mechanical display only, other than those of heading No. 91.01 2. Parts and accessories of instruments and apparatus of heading No. 90.30 3. Other sporting, hunting or target-shooting rifles other than 930320 4. Other sporting, hunting or target-shooting shotgun, incl. combination shotgun-rifles 5. Parts and accessories of the machine of heading No. 84.71			1. Parts and accessories of instruments and apparatus of heading No. 90.30 2. Parts of the goods of subheading 8479.89.10, 8479.49.20 and other electrically operated machines 3. Other medical, surgical, dental, or veterinary sciences, n.e.s. 4. Personal and household effects of travelers and immigrants

TOURIST ARRIVALS FROM ARMENIA²

2016 (Jan-Oct)	108
2015	83
2014	89
2013	89
2012	84

REFERENCES

¹ DTI-Export Marketing Bureau, PH-Armenia Trade Relations; http://tradelinephilippines.dti.gov.ph

² Department of Tourism, Tourist Arrivals Statistics for 2012-2016

OVERVIEW OF PHILIPPINES (PH) - BELARUS (BY)
BILATERAL RELATIONS

The Philippines established formal diplomatic relations with Belarus on 22 May 1996.

Philippine and Belarusian officials continue to engage in discussions over PH-BY bilateral relations. Notably, on 11 January 2017, Non-Resident Ambassador of Belarus to the Philippines H.E. Vladimir N. Lopato-Zagorsky visited the Philippines and called on Department of Foreign Affairs then-Undersecretary for Policy Enrique A. Manalo.

The Philippines looks forward to giving the partnership a boost through the establishment of a political consultation mechanism between the respective foreign ministries of the two countries and the conclusion of bilateral agreements that would lay the foundation for future cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, tourism, culture and education, and science and technology.

The Philippine Embassy in Moscow exercises jurisdiction over Belarus. On 06 June 2016, H.E. Carlos D. Sorreta, Non-resident Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the Republic of Belarus, presented his credentials to H.E. Alexander Lukashenko at the Independence Palace in Minsk.

On 10 January 2013, H.E. Vladimir Lopato-Zagorsky presented his credentials to then-President Benigno S. Aquino III as non-resident Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of the Philippines based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Ambassador Lopato-Zagorsky attended the Vin d’ Honneur hosted by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

PH-BY BILATERAL TRADE

From Jan to Oct 2016, Belarus was the 142^nd export destination and the 80th import source of the Philippines.

PH products and services for promotion to Belarus include wearables, processed fruits, and coconut products.

Trade¹ (in US$)
	Total	Exports		Imports	Balance
2016 (Jan-Oct)	4,077,805	257,835		3,819,970	(3,562,135)
2015	8,548,877	205,018		8,343,859	(8,138,841)
2014	1,930,619	137,571		1,793,048	(1,655,477)
2013 2012	2,091,727 347,131	727,467 147,544		1,364,260 199,587	(636,793) (52,043)
Exports			Imports
1. Imitation jewellery, of other non-precious metal, n.e.s. 2. Other chemical products and preparations of the chemical or allied industries (including those consisting of mixtures of natural products), not elsewhere specified or included 3. Articles of a kind normally carried in the pocket or in the handbag, with outer surface or other materials 4. Samples 5. Other articles of paper pulps, paper, paperboard, cellulose wadding or webs of cellulose fibers, n.e.s.			1. Potassium chloride 2. Whey and modified whey, whether or not concentrated or containing added sugar or other sweetening matter 3. Dumpers designed for off-highway use 4. Duts and offals of fowls of the species Gallus domesticus, frozen 5. Cuff-links and studs of base metal, whether or not plated with precious metal

TOURIST ARRIVALS FROM BELARUS

2016 (Jan-Oct)	511
2015	561
2014	436
2013	468
2012	363

REFERENCES

1 DTI-Export Marketing Bureau, PH-Belarus Trade and Investment Relations, and http://www.tradelinephilippines.dti.gov.ph
2 Department of Tourism, Tourist Arrival Statistics for 2012-2016

OVERVIEW OF PHILIPPINES (PH) - KAZAKHSTAN (KZ)
BILATERAL RELATIONS

The Philippines established formal diplomatic relations with Kazakhstan on 19 March 1992.

A milestone in PH-KZ relations was the official visit of H.E. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan, to the Philippines. In recent years, the two countries have laid the groundwork for bilateral political consultations through a Memorandum of Understanding, signed on 27 September 2013 in New York. This then led to the first PH-KZ Political Consultations, conducted on 01 October 2014 in Manila.

For 2017, the Philippines seeks to develop active engagement with Kazakhstan by exploring and expanding areas of cooperation, particularly the enhancement of economic ties.

The Philippine Embassy in Moscow exercises jurisdiction over Kazakhstan. H.E. Carlos D. Sorreta is the Ambassador-designate.

On 12 January 2016, H.E. Askhat Orazbay presented his credentials to H.E. Benigno S. Aquino III as non-resident Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Republic of the Philippines based in Jakarta, Indonesia.

PH-KZ BILATERAL TRADE

In 2015, Kazakhstan was the Philippines’ 157th trading partner

Trade (in US$)
	Total	Exports		Imports	Balance
2016 (Jan-Oct)²	229,521	120,973		108,548	12,425
2015³	359,380	345,506		13,874	331,632
2014	1,333,993	999,088		334,905	664,183
2013	607,507	483,922		123,585	360,337
Exports⁴			Imports⁵
1. Parts of electric instantaneous or storage water heaters and immersion heaters; electric space heating apparatus and soil heating apparatus 2. Other machinery plant or equipment, for making hot drinks or for cooking or heating food 3. Other chemical products and preparations of the chemical or allied industries (including those consisting of mixtures of natural products) 4. Personal and household effects of travelers and immigrants 5. Samples			1. Zinc, not alloyed, containing by weight 99.99% or more of zinc, unwrought 2. Parts of machinery for working rubber of plastics for the manufacture of products from these materials 3. Materials, accessories and supplies imported on consignment basis for the manufacture of electrical and electronic machinery, equipment and parts, 4. Personal and household effects of travelers and immigrants 5. Samples

TOURIST ARRIVALS FROM KZ

2016 (Jan-Sep)	956
2015	1,511
2014	1,063
2013	853

1. FY 2015 Philippine Merchandise Total Trade (in US$)
2. Tradeline. Accessed from http://www.tradelinephilippines.dti.gov.ph/web/tradeline-portal/summary-reports, 26 January 2017
3. FY 2015 Philippine Merchandise Total Trade. Op. Cit.
4. Tradeline. Op. Cit.
5. Tradeline. Op. Cit.

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