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Monday, November 22, 2004
Arroyo meets with Bush during Apec summit
MANILA -- President Arroyo finally had her face-to-face talk with US President George W. Bush at the official dinner in honor of leaders of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) in Chile Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila).
It was the first time that the two leaders met face-to-face after securing a fresh mandate in their respective countries and their phone conversation last Nov. 10.
It is also their first meeting after a strain in Philippine-US ties following the withdrawal of Filipino troops in Iraq to save the life of Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz last July.
The Philippines was unanimously elected to head Apec's Counter-Terrorism Task Force at the start of the summit.
Arroyo thanked President Ricardo Lagos Escobar of Chile and the 19 other leaders for their vote.
Warm, cordial
Arroyo and Bush were seated next to each other at the Central Nave, Estacion Mapocho, Cultural Center.
The US President was at Arroyo's left while Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was at her right.
It was not clear what the two leaders were discussing.
The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), in its press release, simply described the photograph as "from all indications, the discussion was warm and cordial," adding that not even the cultural presentation and music accompanying the dinner distracted the two leaders from their conversation.
The OPS added that the photo "speaks well of diplomatic, trade and mutual defense ties between their two countries."
More time
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the dinner meeting gave the two leaders more time to discuss ideas and issues compared to regular bilateral meetings, which is usually limited to 15 minutes.
The dinner lasted for about two hours.
He said Arroyo is likely to bring up the concerns of Filipino veterans to Bush's attention, which she promised to do during cocktails with the Filipino community in San Francisco.
Arroyo made a brief stop to San Francisco on her way to Chile.
The Filipino war veterans, who fought side by side with American forces during World War II, have been batting for rights and privileges equal to what have been accorded to their American comrades in World War II. (Sunnex Luzon)
(November 22, 2004 issue)
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