16 October 2003, Putrajaya, Malaysia – The bid of the Philippines for observer status in the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) remains strong, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople who is with
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Putrajaya, Malaysia for the 10th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference.

The Secretary made this statement after a Philippine newspaper said that the OIC’s Committee of the Eight, which is chaired by Indonesia and which is charged with monitoring the implementation of the 1996 GRP-MNLF final peace agreement, rejected the application of the Philippines for OIC observer status.

“The OIC’s Committee of the Eight has taken no such action.  It has not rejected our bid to be an observer in the OIC,” Secretary Ople said.

“In fact, the recent action by the Committee of the Eight, through its Chairman, has strengthened our bid,” the Secretary added, referring to the official report made by Indonesia to the OIC in Putrajaya.  In that report,
Indonesia, in behalf of the Committee of the Eight, declared that the Philippines has complied with the political and security mandates of the 1996 peace agreement.

“This is a historic report for it settles conclusively the issue of peace between the Philippines and the MNLF.  This formal report of Indonesia, delivered to the OIC gathering of Foreign Ministers last Monday, was warmly
applauded.  I fully expect that this report will be adopted by the OIC Summit,” Secretary Ople said.

“Many OIC members fully support our bid for observer status.  While we are hopeful that we will soon be admitted as an Observer, I understand that certain procedures have to be followed.  It may also be noted that there are other countries which had filed for observer status years ahead of the Philippines,” Secretary Ople said.

“But I would like to emphasize that there has been no rejection of our application, whether at the level of the Committee of the Eight or at any other level in the OIC.  The favorable Report of the Committee of the Eight,
the invitation for the President to attend the OIC Summit, and the strong support we are getting from our close friends and allies in the OIC, all belie any notion of rejection,” Secretary Ople said.

“In truth, all these developments not only strengthen our bid for OIC observer status but also reflect our growing engagement and the steady improvement of our relations with the countries of the Islamic world,”   the
Secretary added.  END.