1 December 2003 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople today strongly condemned the attacks on Coalition members that resulted in the deaths of seven Spanish officials and two Japanese diplomats, saying that these attacks are the desperate attempts of terrorists to erode the resolve of the international community to help the people of Iraq. On Saturday, seven Spanish intelligence agents were killed south of Baghdad in what witnesses described as a coordinated attack on their convoy by guerillas using automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. That same day, suspected insurgents gunned down a pair of Japanese diplomats and their Iraqi driver along a road near Tikrit.

“We deeply regret the deaths of the seven Spanish officials and the two Japanese diplomats.  We offer the governments of Spain and Japan, and the families and friends of those who perished, our profound sympathies and prayers,” Secretary Ople said.  “We condemn these attacks and join Spain and Japan in reiterating our common resolve to continue to help the people of Iraq and not to be intimidated by these terrorist acts,” the Secretary added.

The Secretary reiterated that the Philippines will remain in Iraq. “We now have 96 personnel in Iraq.  We intend to complete our deployment to 178, as originally planned.  And on top of that, we plan to send more, resources allowing, to a total of 500 personnel,” he said.

He added that “our people are safe and are taking every measure to ensure their safety.  They are working well with the people of Iraq.  There are no specific threats against our people or our interests in Iraq.”

The Secretary also expressed his indignation over the recent killing of civilians, two workers from the Republic of Korea, one worker from Colombia and a number of Iraqis in separate attacks in Iraq. “These civilians are in Iraq to help in restoring basic services.  They have fallen victim to hatred and intolerance.  We must make sure that their deaths were not in vain,” the Secretary said. END.