by magnolia_eic | Sep 26, 2010 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III will go to Hanoi on Oct. 28 to 30 to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Summit.
But prior to his attendance at the ASEAN Summit, the Chief Executive will first make a state visit to Vietnam upon the personal invitation of Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said, in an interview in New York, that the President was originally scheduled to visit Vietnam last September 13-14 but the hostage crisis took place at the Quirino Grandstand last August 23, which forced the President to stay and attend to domestic problems.
Romulo said the two leaders talked about the ASEAN-US meeting that will take place this Friday (Sept. 24) and President Aquino, as the coordinator, just talked about their full agenda including the communiqué, which has been arranged by the senior officials.
He reported to the Vietnamese leader that President Aquino is looking forward to his visit to Hanoi in order to “deepen the relationship already existing between the two countries.”
The Vietnamese president also expressed his confidence in the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Vietnam.
President Aquino said he expects to sign in Hanoi the agreements on higher education, defense, maritime issues and disaster coordination, including oil spill and natural calamities, Romulo added. (PCCO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 22, 2010 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday expressed optimism the report of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) on the tragic Aug. 23 hostage incident will restore confidence to the existing bilateral relationship between the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China (PROC).
The President stressed that the findings would also provide an accurate message to Beijing that his administration is taking appropriate actions to prevent such tragedy from happening again.
He also said the high-level mission to be headed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo will definitely push through to personally bring the IIRC findings and reiterate the government’s sincere apology over the incident.
The Philippine government has already furnished the Chinese Embassy a copy of the IIRC probe and the complete report will be published on the government’s Official Gazette at www.gov.ph.
To further strengthen the cases recommended by the IIRC, the President also announced he has directed Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Presidential Legal Counsel Ed de Mesa to review the report before he acts on the committee’s recommendation. (PCCO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 16, 2010 | Headlines, National News
MALAYSIA will continue to act as facilitator at the resumption of peace talks in Mindanao.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo disclosed this Tuesday following the courtesy call
of Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Sri Anifah Aman on President Benigno S. Aquino III in
Malacanang.
Romulo said Malaysia has been playing a constructive and positive role to encourage a
peaceful resolution in the Mindanao problem.
The President welcomed Minister Anifah who was accompanied by Malaysian Ambassador
to the Philippines Dato’ Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad.
Also present during the call were Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)
Secretary Teresita Deles and DFA Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio.
Minister Anifah’s visit centered on Malaysia’s role in the formal peace negotiations scheduled
this month between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
As its closest neighbor in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the
Philippines earlier decided to retain Malaysia as third party facilitator in the resumption of the
GRP-MILF peace talks, a role which Malaysia has assumed since 2001.
Since 2004, Malaysia also led the International Monitoring Team together with Libya, Japan
and Brunei which successfully contributed to the comprehensive peace process in Mindanao.
(PCOO/PIA)
