Thursday, September 18, 2008 Arroyo to attend UN assembly in New York
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set to leave for New York next week to attend the United Nations General Assembly (Unga) on September 23, a Malacañang official said.
During Wednesday's press briefing at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati City, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said details about the trip is still being finalized.
Dureza said aside from the Unga, the President will also attend bilateral meetings with United Nations (UN) secretary general Ban Ki-Moon and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) secretary general Edmeleddin Ihsanoglu.
Arroyo was initially scheduled to be in the US from September 21 to 27 but decided early in September to postpone the trip following developments in Mindanao. The official visit included a trip to New York and Seattle.
Reports said the new tentative schedule for New York is from September 23 to 25. The visit for Seattle is also still being finalized.
The decision to push through with the official visit, said Dureza, stemmed from the strong recommendations of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Philippine Permanent Ambassador to the UN Hilario Davide Jr.
"The visit of the President at this time is in the national interest, given the world body will address urgent issues, especially the global poverty and hunger situation, as well as the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), whose resolution is of primary concern to developing countries including the Philippines," he said.
He added that while in New York, Arroyo is expected to address the Unga about the MDG and the Philippine's compliance.
The President is also set to discuss with Ki-Moon the MDGs, the international cooperation for food and energy, the regional situation in Southeast Asia, and the UN Peace Keeping Operations to which the Philippines is a contributor.
She will personally thank Ihsanoglu for the OIC's strong and continued support in the peace efforts in Mindanao and to officially inform them of the shift in the government's peace policy, said Dureza.
"The President will express appreciation to the OIC for its continuing support, and will strengthen the dialogue for peace, indicating also the Philippines' commitment to harmonious relations with the Islamic world, reflected in the Philippines' request for OIC observer status," he said.
Arroyo will tackle with global leaders the forthcoming 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD2) that would be held in Manila next month and the Special Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development on May 2009, which Dureza said is both important to the country's diplomatic efforts.
The GFMD2 aims to enhance international cooperation to improve conditions of global migration while the NAM meeting will "consolidate Philippine leadership in promoting understanding and trust between different faiths to foster greater peace and development."
He said the President would also continue to campaign and endorse the nomination of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
According to Dureza, securing a seat in the ICJ is in the interest of the country as it would "facilitate the Philippines' contributions to the progressive development of international law reflecting the perspective and concerns of developing countries." (JMR/Sunnex)
