Press Release No. 143-03
3 April 2003
DIFFERENCES
ON IRAQ SHOULD NOT HINDER COOPERATIVE EFFORTS AT ADDRESSING HUMANITARIAN
ISSUES – OPLE
Although there is no consensus in ASEAN on the issue of the use of force
to disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction, this should not be a hindrance
to possible cooperative efforts within ASEAN to help the people of Iraq,
according Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople.
“Upon the instructions of the President, we will be exploring with our ASEAN
partners the possibility of coordinating any efforts that we might be considering
to help address the humanitarian suffering in Iraq once hostilities are concluded,”
the Secretary said.
The President issued the directive during a Cabinet meeting on board a roll-on,
roll-off ferry boat which made a test run on what the President calls “the
Philippine Nautical Highway.” In a statement, the President had said
“I am directing the DFA to work with our like-minded neighbors to establish
an ASEAN humanitarian consensus so that we can join hands in extending assistance
to the Iraqi people in this hour of need, consonant with the emerging thrust
of the UN.”
The Philippines had earlier proposed to ASEAN that it forego prolonged debate
on the legality of the use of force against Iraq and to focus instead on
the need to discuss cooperative efforts in addressing any adverse effects
the war in Iraq could have on ASEAN members.
This proposal was made by the Philippines during the Informal ASEAN Foreign
Ministers Meeting which was held in Malaysia on 18-20 March 2003.
In a previous statement, Secretary Ople had said that since “it was clear
that ASEAN could not come up with a consensus within the short time provided
for during the Ministerial Meeting, the Philippines decided instead to push
for cooperative efforts to contain any adverse effect that might come about
in relation to the war in Iraq. We need to focus on how best to promote
our national and immediate interests under the circumstances.”
END.