The Secretary General conveyed his congratulatory message to the President through Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert during their meeting at the United Nations General Headquarters on Monday afternoon.

“I would like to extend my congratulations to the President of the Philippines on her election,” Secretary General Annan told Secretary Albert and other members of the Philippine Delegation that included Ambassador Lauro L. Baja Jr., Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations and currently the President of the Security Council.
 
President Arroyo emerged the clear winner at the end of the final congressional canvass on Sunday with 12,905,808 votes compared to the 11,782,232 votes garnered by her closest rival, Fernando Poe Jr. The President, along with her running mate, Sen. Noli de Castro, are expected to be proclaimed before the end of the week.

“A clear mandate has been given to President Arroyo,” Secretary Albert told the Secretary General. “With the elections over, our country can now move forward and continue the reforms she had instituted.”
 
During Secretary Albert’s 30-minute call, Secretary General Annan also extended his congratulations to the Philippines for its successful stewardship of the Security Council since it assumed the presidency in June.

He congratulated Ambassador Baja for the important role he played in securing the unanimous adoption of Security Council resolution 1546 that endorsed the handover of sovereignty to the Interim Iraqi Government on 30 June 2004.
 
“It’s the first time that the Security Council has come together genuinely in a long time on a difficult issue,” the Secretary General said as he expressed hope that the Philippines would be able to maintain the council’s unity on important issues before it turns over the presidency at the end of the month. END.