WASHINGTON, D.C. - Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo-Albert met this afternoon with State Secretary Colin Powell and discussed various issues on Philippine-American relations.

The  two  Secretaries  commiserated  with  the  people  of  Spain over the Madrid tragedy. They agreed on the importance of continuing international solidarity against terrorism.

Secretary Powell thanked Secretary Albert for the strong cooperation of the Philippines in the war against terror.

The closer defense  partnership  between  the  two  countries  was  noted  with  appreciation. The helicopters committed for the Philippines are gradually being identified and will be prepared for transfer.

To parallel closer  Philippine-US  defense  cooperation,  Secretary Albert indicated that the Philippines seeks intensified bilateral cooperation to enhance the counter-terrorism capabilities of Philippine law enforcement agencies.

This is an important initiative, since law enforcement agencies are the first-responders in most terrorist incidents. The two sides will discuss details of this proposal.

Secretary Albert thanked Secretary Powell for US support for the peace process in Mindanao. She said that in her meeting with USAID Andrew Natsios yesterday, the latter agreed to support a conference on the role of women in peace and development in Mindanao to be participated in by the Christian, Muslim and lumad women.

Secretary Albert reassured Secretary Powell that the GRP-MILF peace process remains firmly on track. The Malaysian advance ceasefire monitoring team arrived earlier this week She also advised that the government had resumed formal peace talks with the NDF.

Secretary Albert moreover reiterated the Philippine government's serious concern over the ongoing investigation of the Philippine telecommunications companies on possible violations of US anti-trust law. Secretary Powell explained that the State Department will convey Philippine concerns to the  US Department of Justice.

Secretary Albert indicated the interest of the Philippines to be considered for inclusion in the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) during the next country evaluation round. The two countries will discuss this proposal.

Secretary Albert urged that the entitlements of the Filipino Veterans of World War II in the Philippines be recognized by the US Government. (END)