20 May 2004 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert today said that the Philippines lauds and welcomes the reiteration by the leaders of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC) to close ranks to defeat terror.  The AGCC leaders made this commitment at the end of a one-day summit in Riyadh. Present at the three-hour mid-year consultative summit where the heads of state or their representatives from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“This decision comes at an important time, when all of us are called upon to continue fighting terrorism.  It is particularly important in the light of the recent terrorist attacks in Riyadh,” Secretary Albert said. “It is to the credit of Saudi Arabia that they have been able to respond to terrorist threats through prompt police actions,” the Secretary said.  The Secretary also welcomed the recent signing by AGCC interior ministers of a regional anti-terrorism pact.

The AGCC leaders condemned the terror attacks that have hit several Saudi cities, chiefly Riyadh but also the industrial port of Yanbu, and voiced “total support for all measures taken by Saudi Arabia to confront this “alien, misleading group” responsible for the violence.  The Secretary said that the Philippines supports the stance taken by the AGCC, that the terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia were “criminal acts” which claimed “innocent civilian lives.”

The Secretary also said that the Philippines supports the AGCC’s call for the international community to act immediately to stop the demolition of Palestinian homes that the United Nations says has left more than 1,000 homeless. “An end to violence and peace in the Middle East are aspirations we share with the AGCC countries.  We will be supporting the efforts of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organization of Islamic Conference to bring these about.  As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, I strongly believe that organizations like the NAM and the OIC have important roles to play in achieving peace in the Middle East,” the Secretary said, referring to her participation in the recent ministerial meeting of the NAM Committee on Palestine in Malaysia on 13 May 2004 (please see DFA Press Release SFA-DDA-312-04 dated 13 May 2004). END.