Philippine foreign minister says Duterte to respect all treaties with U.S.

HANOI (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's statement on ending joint exercises with the United States was taken out of context as he was only referring to joint patrols, Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay said on Wednesday. "Our agreement, that will be respected and this is what the president clearly meant," Yasay told reporters immediately after Duterte's address to the Filipino community in Vietnam. Yasay said the Philippines will not abrogate its 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty with Washington, its closest ally and former colonial master. "He (Duterte) said he will respect it," Yasay said. (Reporting by Martin Petty; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)