Press Release No. 192-03
24 April 2003
PHILIPPINES
REMAINS HOPEFUL ON CURRENT DIALOGUE ON KOREAN PENINSULA ISSUE
Foreign
Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople today said that the Philippines is glad that
initial talks that seek to address the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula
have begun. He said that the Philippines remains hopeful that these
talks will lead to a meaningful resolution and to peace and stability in
the Korean Peninsula.
The Secretary made these remarks after talks were held yesterday, the
first of three scheduled days of face-to-face meetings being held at the
Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing. James A. Kelly, U.S. Assistant Secretary
of State for East Asian affairs, met with Li Gun, Deputy Director of North
Korea's Foreign Ministry, and Wang Yi, China's Deputy Foreign Minister.
“We continue to have a stake in the peace and stability of the Korean
Peninsula. The safety and welfare of our 30,000 Filipinos in the Republic
of Korea remain the foremost consideration in our policy, as well as the
stability and security of our region,” Secretary Ople said. “Our stake
in the peace of the Korean Peninsula is also profoundly expressed by the
sacrifice in lives that Filipinos made in helping to bring peace to the
people of Korea under the leadership of the United Nations,” he added, referring
to the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea or PEFTOK.
The discussions are the first between Washington and North Korea since
last October, when the Bush administration presented evidence that North
Korea had violated a 1994 pact to dismantle its nuclear program. North Korea
admitted that it had a covert program to make highly enriched uranium for
nuclear arms.
“We understand the great difficulties involved in trying to resolve the
nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. However, we remain hopeful.
We are very grateful for the critical role that China has played in bringing
the parties together. We hope that China will continue to play this
important role and we hope that these talks will lead to greater confidence
and better understanding,” the Secretary said.
“On our part, as a country and as a member of ASEAN, ARF and the UN, we
remain ready to do what we can to help encourage peaceful dialogue leading
towards a lasting and meaningful peace on the Korean Peninsula. It
is in this context that we support the upcoming visit of Cambodian Foreign
Minister and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Chairman Hor Namhong to DPRK later
this month and we are optimistic that his visit will contribute to efforts
at peaceful dialogue,” the Secretary added.