Press Release No. 084-03
March 13, 2003
INCOMING
IRAQI AMBASSADOR CALLS ON SECRETARY OPLE
Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople warmly received the new Iraqi Ambassador-designate
to the Philippines Dr. Ghazi Faisal Hussein this morning at his office at
the Department of Foreign Affairs.
In their brief meeting, the Ambassador-designate assured Secretary Ople that
no Iraqi embassy personnel would be involved in activities that are inconsistent
with their diplomatic functions.
Ople said the regrettable incident involving the expulsion of the Iraqi Embassy’s
Second Secretary last month is best left behind to enable both countries
to move forward and enhance its bilateral relations.
Secretary Ople also informed the new Iraqi ambassador about the peace mission
to Baghdad headed by Sulu Rep. Hussin Amin and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Loretta
Ann Rosales which is due to arrive March 14 in Iraq.
“I have instructed the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad to extend all possible
assistance to this peace mission,” Ople told Dr. Hussein. Charge d'Affaires
Grace Escalante would be in Baghdad to assist the peace mission that is scheduled
to visit hospitals and meet with Iraqi parliamentarians as well as with leaders
of various human rights organizations.
Both Secretary Ople and Ambassador-designate Dr. Ghazi Faizal Hussein expressed
hope that the war in Iraq could still be averted with the United Nations
Security Council taking the lead in resolving the conflict.
Prior to his assignment to the Philippines, the Ambassador-designate was
the Chief of the First Political Office at Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He was previously posted as the Head of Iraq’s Interest Section in France
from 1999-2000. He was also a professor of International Relations at Baghdad
University from 1985 to 1998.
End