PRESS RELEASE                                                                       
Department of Foreign Affairs
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SFA-DDA-391-04                                                                                                                                21 June  2004
 


ALBERT MEETS UN PRESS

 
21 June 2004, United Nations, New York – After meeting with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan today, Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert met with the United Nations Press Corps and briefed the reporters on her meeting with the Secretary-General.  During the press conference, Secretary Albert also addressed the questions raised by the UN Press, most of which focused on developments in Iraq and the recent elections in the Philippines.
 
In response to a question, Secretary Albert informed the reporters that the canvassing of votes for the 10 May elections had been completed and that she expected that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will be proclaimed winner within the week and that the President would be inaugurated on 30 June 2004.

Secretary Albert also reiterated the Philippine Government’s assurance of support for Iraq during the press conference that followed her call on the Secretary General and where she also discussed a number of other issues related to the Security Council.

During the same press conference, the Secretary announced the holding of an open debate on Tuesday on the Philippine theme: “The Role of Civil Society in Post-Conflict Peace Building.”

The Secretary will be presiding over the open debates that will be participated in by Secretary General Annan, President Marjatta Rasi of the UN Economic and Social Council, two NGO representatives, and at least 38 member-countries.

On a question relating to a UN Security Council resolution on the International Criminal Court, Secretary Albert asked Philippine Permanent Representative Lauro Baja, who is deeply involved in the negotiations on this resolution, to give an update on this issue.

“We have scheduled an open debate on this issue and everyone will have an opportunity to say what they have to say,” Ambassador Baja told the UN Press Corps. END.