EXCLUSIVE FORMAL ENDORSEMENT IN OIC PLENARY PLACES RP OBSERVER QUEST ON FIRMER FOOTING
17 June 2004, Islamabad, Turkey - During the recently concluded, 31st Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul, the quest of the Philippines to become an Observer was placed on even firmer footing when Indonesia rose to formally endorse the Philippines as an Observer in the Organization of the Islamic Conference, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert.
“This endorsement was made even more significant by the fact that no other applicant for Observer status was given any similar endorsement,” she added. “While all Observer applications were referred to an experts groups, only the Philippines received a formal endorsement for its Observer status,” the Secretary said.
In his statement before the Plenary of the OIC Ministerial Meeting on 14 June 2004, Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda formally and strongly endorsed the Philippine quest for an Observer seat in the OIC. In his Plenary statement, the Indonesian Foreign Minister said:
“Consistent with the report I submitted before the 10th Summit last October on the completed implementation of Phase I of the 1996 Agreement and having been working constructively with the GRP in the past 30 years, Indonesia supports the GRP’s bid for an observer status in the OIC.”
“On behalf of the Philippines and its visions of a peaceful and progressive Southern Philippines, I express our profound gratitude to Foreign Minister Wirajuda, who is a true partner for peace, for making this formal endorsement,” Secretary Albert said.
Aside from being a leading
member of the OIC, Indonesia is also the Chairman of the Committee of the
Eight which was tasked by the OIC to monitor the implementation of the
1996 peace agreement between the Philippines and the MNLF. “With this endorsement,
and the support of many others, and working closely with the OIC experts
group created to deal with the issue of Observers, I believe that our hopes
and efforts to be more formally engaged with the OIC have been placed on
even firmer footing,” Secretary Albert said. END.