SECRETARY ROMULO, FINNISH FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSS MIDDLE EAST SITUATION;
PROMOTION OF DEMOCRACY; SUPPORT FOR PEACE PROCESS 

10 September 2006 Helsinki, Finland—With the stability of the Middle East and the safety of Filipinos continuing to be a high priority, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo met Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja at the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting here, firming up common positions and shared commitments with key Philippine development partners.  

“I welcome, in particular, the common position of Finland and the European Union on the peace imperative in the Middle East,” Secretary Romulo said. 

The Secretary pointed out that “EU’s commitment of €45 million to the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Lebanon would be a significant contribution to the stability in the Middle East and to the safety of Filipinos in that region.”   

During the meeting, Minister Tuomioja assured Secretary Romulo of EU’s commitment to further strengthen the peace agenda in the Middle East through development and reconstruction assistance in Lebanon. 

At an international donor conference on Lebanon in Stockholm, Sweden last month, EU pledged 42 million euros as a first contribution to the Lebanon’s recovery and rehabilitation. 

Finland currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU.    

The Philippines meantime earlier called on the immediate cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, citing the importance of maintaining stability in the Middle East and the impact of escalating violence on both locals and migrant workers. 

There are an estimated two million Filipinos in the Middle East, 30,000 of whom are in Lebanon.   

In the meeting, Minister Tuomioja also expressed strong support for the Philippines’ promotion of democracy in the South East Asian region. 

Emphasizing the Philippines’ position, Secretary Romulo said the promotion of democracy is “in the interest of all nations,” adding that “to strengthen democratic principles and processes in the region, it is important that democratic leadership and advocacy should come from the region itself.” 

The Philippines, the current Chair of the ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC), has articulated its commitment to further broaden democratic spaces in the region through consensus and mutual support in the 10-member Association. 

Finland, on the other hand, noted the substantial progress attained by the Philippines in its on-going peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).   

The Philippines is looking forward to concluding a final peace accord with the MILF with the resolution of the issue on ancestral domain.   

/jay

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