PRESS RELEASE                                                                  
Department of Foreign Affairs
2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                        *      Tel. No. 834-4000                                 *     www.dfa.gov.ph
SFA-DDA-434-04                                                                                                                                19 July  2004
 

STATEMENT OF FOREIGN MINISTER DELIA ALBERT
12:00 PM, 19 JULY 2004 (Philippine Time)

In our continuing efforts to have our Humanitarian Contingent return to the Philippines, BrigGen. Jovito Palparan, head of the Philippine Humanitarian Contingent in Iraq, arrived in Manila at 4:30 this morning ahead of the 10-member group which is now in Kuwait.

BrigGen. Palparan reported to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the AFP Chief of Staff the details of the Operational Plan for the movement of the remaining Philippine Humanitarian Contingent out of Iraq by today, July 19.