Lawmakers back Baja’s retention in UN post

Crossing partylines, at least 60 lawmakers signed yesterday a manifesto urging Pre-sident Arroyo to retain Ambassador Lauro Baja as the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations.

Pulling out Baja to be replaced by outgoing Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert would send a wrong message to the international community, said Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, Camarines Sur Rep. Felix Alfelor and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Constantino Jaraula, who represented the signatories in a press conference.

"We hope the President will not succumb to political pressure," Jaraula said. "The international community will see that politics not track record governs appointments of vital foreign posts."

He said there is nothing wrong with Albert’s qualifications but stressed Baja has been appointed as permanent representative only eight months ago.

Albert was acting foreign affairs secretary before the President named Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo to the post last week.

Baja was elected to the UN Security Council (UNSC) last June by an overwhelming vote of 179 out of 181 countries, Jaraula noted.

He said Baja was praised by no less than UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan for steering crucial security council resolutions, including the historic transfer of power from the United States-led coalition to an Iraqi interim government last June.

Barbers said while the appointments are the President’s prerogative, the UN post is not about a "mere management of a Cabinet post or department."

Baja sat as Security Council president in the first half of June, while Albert took over the remaining half. The UNSC presidency is rotated among all members of the body, both permanent and non-permanent.

The Philippines will have another opportunity to lead the Security Council in September 2005. Its term in the UNSC ends on Dec. 30, 2005.