Honorable Sanusi, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Indonesia,
Papal Nuncio and the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps H. E. Msgr. Antonio Franco,
Excellencies of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps,
Friends.

On behalf of Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Filipino people, I extend my warmest congratulations to the Government and People of Indonesia as they celebrate the 60th Anniversary of their Independence.

The 60th year is considered a milestone in many Asian cultures because it represents the completion of the five 12-year cycles of the Eastern Lunar calendar, symbolizing continuity, prosperity and strength.

Indonesia’s strength and determination have served to inspire the people of the world.  We witnessed in admiration as Indonesia bravely overcame and conquered the difficulties and grave losses wrought by the tsunami last December and the Nias Island  earthquake last March.

The Philippines and Indonesia are close partners in the pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity in our region.

We have helped each other in monitoring peace in our respective lands.  We stand together in the fight against terror, in pursuing greater interfaith dialogue and in chartering the future course of the ASEAN and East Asian Communities.

The Philippines and Indonesia have been long-standing friends and partners.  The cooperative endeavors that our two leaders agreed during President Yudhoyono’s visit to the Philippines in June were significant steps forward in our relations.

I am confident that the positive momentum generated by this visit will be sustained through various initiatives, especially through the RP-Indonesia Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation.

I am grateful to the Indonesian Government for its support for peace and development in Southern Philippines and its continuing advocacy, as Chair of the OIC Committee of the Eight, of the Philippine Government’s bid to secure observer status in the Organization of Islamic Conference.

With a population that represents half of ASEAN, Indonesia’s leadership, support and participation are vital to regional and global harmony and dynamism.

I congratulate the Indonesian Government for its successful hosting of the ASEM Interfaith Dialogue in Bali last month.

I am also thankful for its co-sponsoring the Philippine-initiated Conference on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace at the United Nations last June.  We look forward to working with Indonesia as we host in 2006 the Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation, a follow-up to the meeting in Yogyakarta last December.

Indonesia has been a long-time proponent of the Non-Aligned Movement and the South-South Cooperation.  Its hosting this April of the Asian-African Summit which launched the New Asia-Africa Strategic Partnership again demonstrated it commitment to cooperation with other developing nations for the benefit and prosperity of their peoples.

Excellencies,  may I now invite you to join me in a toast:

To the good health and continued success of His Excellency President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono;

To the lasting peace and prosperity of the People of Indonesia; and

To the enduring ties of friendship between the Philippines and Indonesia.

Mabuhay!