Press Release No. 100-03
Friday, 21 March 2003
PHILIPPINES CALLS ON ASEAN STATES TO FOCUS ON HOW TO MITIGATE ANY
POSSIBLE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF WAR
ASEAN should focus on cooperative efforts in specific areas in order to
mitigate any possible adverse effects the war in Iraq could bring to ASEAN
members.
This was the proposal made by DFA Senior Undersecretary Lauro L. Baja, who
represented Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople during the Informal ASEAN
Foreign Ministers Meeting which was held in Malaysia on 18-20 March 2003.
“It was clear that ASEAN could not come up with a consensus within the short
time provided for during the Ministerial Meeting. Undersecretary Baja
called and consulted with me and we agreed that we should instead push for
cooperative efforts to contain any adverse effect that might come about in
relation to the war in Iraq,” Secretary Ople said. “We need to focus
on how best to promote our national and immediate interests under the circumstances,”
he added.
Undersecretary Baja told the meeting that ASEAN should focus its cooperative
efforts on securing its oil supply, ensuring the availability of basic goods,
fighting and preventing terrorism, and protecting ASEAN nationals in the Middle
East. Undersecretary Baja also suggested that the ASEAN Economic Ministers
take up specific cooperative efforts to ensure the availability of basic
goods when they meet next month in Phenom Pehn.
“These proposals made by Undersecretary Baja were readily accepted by the
ASEAN Ministerial Meeting. Our leadership in terms promoting the safety
and welfare of migrant workers in the Middle East was recognized, and I believe
that we would take a leading role in ASEAN cooperative efforts towards this
end,” Secretary Ople said.#