22 January 2004 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert today said that the heavy emphasis placed by US President George W. Bush in his State of the Union Address yesterday on the war against terror and the future of Iraq contributes to greater confidence in a more stable and secure world.

“The war against terror is not over.  There is still much to be done.  Our strategic partnership with the US and our allies, and our shared values of freedom, tolerance and democracy, will be the key elements in winning this war,” Secretary Albert said. “The renewed and reenergized commitment of the US to the war against terror should be a clear signal to all those who intend to further their causes through terror and violence, that they will not succeed,” the Secretary added.

“We also welcome President Bush’s reiteration of his commitment to the future of Iraq and his pledge to provide US troops with the resources with which to complete their mission, in spite of some internal opposition and criticism.  The Iraqi people are firmly on the road to freedom.  Decades of despair have given way to hope,” Secretary Albert said.

“It is our continuing hope that the UN will soon be given a more central role in Iraq.  This was a message that we were hoping to hear during the State of the Union Address.  As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, this will be one of our guiding principles,” she added.

The Secretary also noted the proposal made by President Bush for a temporary workers’ program.  “This is a welcome proposal as this would benefit our hardworking Filipinos who might not be properly documented.  This program would mean that they would no longer be subject to exploitation and that they would be entitled to all benefits as legal workers.  However, we continue to hope that broader immigration reforms are undertaken, including a fair and non-discriminatory amnesty program,” Secretary Albert said. END.