Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople expressed hope that the situation in Iraq will soon stabilize with the appointment of Ibrahim Jaafari, a medical doctor, as head of the US-backed Governing Council.

Secretary Ople had earlier welcomed the establishment of the Iraq Governing Council, saying that the Council will be key in providing the leadership the Iraqi people seek in rebuilding Iraq.  The Secretary had also welcomed the support expressed by the Organization of Islamic Conference for the formation of the Iraq Governing Council, saying that the political and moral support of the OIC is an important contribution to the efforts to rebuild Iraq and gives the Iraq Ruling Council even greater moral authority to lead the people of Iraq. (DFA Release 363-03, 17 July 2003).

Ople said the Philippine government shares the aspiration of the Iraqi people for the country to finally achieve self-rule through democratic means.

"We also welcome the news that the World Bank is prepared to offer assistance to Iraq once a new constitution is drafted," he added.

Secretary Ople said that the Philippines remains committed to contributing to the future of the people of Iraq.  “We will soon be deploying our own Humanitarian Contingent to Iraq.  A first batch composed of 51 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, 26 from the Philippine National Police and 15 from the Department of Health will be on the ground in Iraq in mid-August,” the Secretary said.  “The current mission profile is to help secure the areas where our contingent will be operating and we will be doing this in coordination with the security forces from other countries.  After this, we hope to deploy the rest of our humanitarian contingent,” the Secretary said.

"We are weighing our options very carefully," Ople said, adding that at least 30 countries have responded to the urgent appeal of the United Nations and US-led coalition for humanitarian assistance to Iraq.

The Secretary also expressed his appreciation to Mr. Winston F. Garcia, President of the Government Insurance System, for agreeing to provide insurance coverage for the members of the Philippine Contingent.

“We express our deep appreciation to Mr. Garcia and the GSIS for allowing the GSIS to insure the brave men and women who will be carrying the flag of our country in helping bring stability to Iraq and the Middle East, stability which, in the end will benefit our one and a half million Filipinos there,” the Secretary said.

The Secretary said that the GSIS covers life insurance, pre-need plans and disability benefits and that this coverage is on top of the current coverage the contingent members already have under existing government plans.

UN Resolution 1483 calls on member countries to help in the rebuilding of Iraq as it lifts the 13-year old economic sanctions on the war-torn country. The United Nations Security Council recognized the United States-run Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) while applauding the creation of the Iraqi Governing Council. The Iraqi Governing Council is composed of 25 members representing diverse groups in Iraq. Nine of these members exercise collective leadership and will be given the chance to head the council on a rotation basis.

The Governing council has the power to name and dismiss ministers, approve the 2004 budget and decide policy on economic and electoral reform, but final control of Iraq still rests with US civilian administrator in Baghdad, Paul Bremer. END.