The Signing of the Philippines-France Treaty of Friendship

from The Philippines and France: Discovery, Rediscovery

BIBLIOgRAPHY

I

THE ROAD TO FRIENDSHIP: THE SIgNINg OF THE PHILIPPINES-FRANCE TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP

After the opening of the consulate in 1836, the second milestone in the long relation between Philippines and France was the Treaty of Friendship drawn between the two countries, signed on 26 June 1947 in Paris. Less than a year after the Philippines’ second independence on 4 July 1946, its former colonizer, the United States,1 was the first Western state to establish full diplomatic relations with Manila, on 13 March 1947. France, surprisingly, was the second, preceding Italy on July 9, and even its other former colonizer, Spain, on September 27.2

But the road to the signing of the Treaty of Friendship was not a smooth one. When first proposed in the early months of 1947 to France’s envoy to Manila Gaston Willoquet by Vice President and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Elpidio Quirino, the initial reaction from the Quai d’Orsay was not a favorable one.

Largely stemming from the Philippines’ anti-colonialist position in the United Nations, French foreign ministry officials—referencing the French Indochinese colonies—did not “see the point of such a treaty, unless it comes with some sort of political agreement, namely on colonial issues, as it seems the Philippines does not seem to share our views on the matter (see its votes in New York).”3 The French officials were also worried how the United States would react to France signing the treaty. “Furthermore, our interests in the Philippines do not seem to be sufficiently important to justify such a general gesture, which could be seen in a bad light by the United States, given their almost absolute de facto control over the Philippine Islands.”4

However, Willoquet successfully convinced the Quai d’Orsay stating that France stands to gain by negotiating a treaty of friendship with the Philippines. Citing that China, Great Britain and Italy were all negotiating similar treaties with the Philippines, France would lose out on future economic relations and commercial agreements if

Figure 110. Vice President and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Elpidio Quirino signing the Philippine-French Treaty of Friendship on 26 June 1947 with French Foreign Minister Georges Bidault looking on (right). (President Elpidio Quirino Foundation)

it did not sign a similar treaty. On the issue of Indochina, Willoquet reports that “while the Philippines happened to be one of the most systematically anti-colonialist countries during the New York (UN) debates on international tutelage, public opinion in the Philippines, however, seems to have shown almost absolute neutrality with regards to the events in Indochina to this day.”5

Having secured the commitment of France to enter into negotiations for a Treaty of Friendship, Paris became the sixth stop in Quirino’s world tour of the United States and Europe as President Manuel Roxas’ Ambassador of Goodwill.6 The trip was the first time since its independence that the Philippines dealt directly with foreign countries. Quirino’s goal was to study the solutions of various European nations on how they rebuilt following the end of the Second World War. “After waiting for our independence for a long time, we now have to build a whole new nation... and we have to do it in a world dominated by change. Why... Europe? Simply because we already know America. There are three worlds now: the old world, the new world...and the world that is being born from the coasts of the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. And this world needs the other two to be born and to live.”7

Arriving in Paris on June 9 by a special plane provided by the British government since trains in France had been paralyzed by a strike,8 Quirino officially began his visit with the offering of a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier at the Arc de Triomphe followed by meetings with President Vincent Auriol at the Élysée Palace, Prime Minister Paul Ramadier, President of the Chamber of Deputies Édouard Marie Herriot, and Foreign Minister Georges Bidault.

In his meeting with Bidault on June 12, both sides agreed in principle to the signing of the Treaty of Friendship but the issue of Indochina and the Philippines’ anti-colonial stance at the United Nations loomed large in the discussion. Quirino assured Bidault that “while it is true that the aspirations for independence of non-self governing territories will always arouse the sympathy of the Philippines, it prefers to act as an example for the populations of these territories rather than a guide.”9

By June 26, the Treaty of Friendship was signed by Quirino and Bidault. The Treaty was then adopted by the Senate of the Philippines on 4 May 1948 and by the French Parliament in August 1949. The instruments of ratification were exchanged by both parties on 19 April 1950 in Baguio City.10

For all his efforts in promoting Philippines-France relations, Quirino was conferred in 194811 the rank of grand officier of the Ordre National de la Légion d’honneur, the second highest decoration given by the French Republic to foreigners.12