Bush: US happy with intel exchange

BUSAN, South Korea (via PLDT) — United States President George W. Bush told President Arroyo he was satisfied with the improved intelligence exchange between Washington and the Philippines during a brief one-on-one talk on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit here that ended Saturday.

Bush also commended the President for the capture of two camps of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group and the conviction of the Valentine’s Day bombers, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said.

Two alleged Abu Sayyaf members and an Indonesian national were sentenced to death for the bombing of an RRCG bus in Makati City last Feb. 14, which killed four people and wounded more than 60 others.

That same day, alleged Abu Sayyaf members also bombed a mall in General Santos City and a bus terminal in Davao City, killing at least eight more people and wounding more than 40 others.

Bunye also said Bush "had nothing but praise for the warm welcome extended to him during his state visit to the Philippines. Bush has been quoted as saying, referring to another cordial reception, ‘this is as good as I got in the Philippines.’"

Aside from Bush, Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo was able to meet with APEC summit host Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The brief talks took place on the fringes of the two-day summit and the meeting between Bush and leaders of the countries that are members of both APEC and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

"Not only do summits provide (Mrs. Arroyo) a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face with other world leaders to discuss issues of mutual concern, they also allow us to invest in the economic, social and physical security of the Philippines," Bunye said.

He noted that this opportunity is "the reason why (she) considers attendance in international meetings of leaders like the recently concluded APEC summit in Busan, South Korea very important."

Bunye said the Philippines’ participation in the APEC summit showed the country’s strong resolve to forge peace and stability, not just locally but in the rest of the Asia-Pacific region as well.

"The world has given the Philippines a high mark in our country’s capability to beat terror and the praises we reaped during the summit is something every Filipino should be proud of," he said.

The world leaders, according to Bunye, were unanimous in praising the Philippines’ chairmanship of the APEC Counter-Terrorism Task Force, headed by Ambassador Benjamin Defensor.

Bush had expressed concern over military rule in Myanmar and Mrs. Arroyo has agreed to support efforts in the United Nations Security Council — where the Philippines is a non-permanent member — to help spur democratic reforms in Myanmar.

For her part, Mrs. Arroyo told Bush about the Philippines’ efforts to prevent the entry of the bird flu virus into the country, and what measures have been prepared to contain the disease should it make its way into the Philippines.

Mrs. Arroyo also met with Roh and discussed issues, including his state visit to the Philippines next month, which would include witnessing the signing of key investment and economic agreements.

Mrs. Arroyo was the first state visitor Roh welcomed just after he became president in 2003.

Bunye said Korea will finance the Caloocan-Muntinlupa portion of the Philippine National Railways South Rail project, and Korean businessmen are seeking to invest in electric power plants in various parts of the country.

Korea is also the most important source of tourists for the Philippines, he said.

With Singapore’s Loong, Mrs. Arroyo discussed efforts to cooperate and stamp out piracy and robbery at sea. Loong also promised to work closely to protect the rights, welfare and safety of Filipinos working in Singapore.

Mrs. Arroyo congratulated Japan’s new foreign minister, Nobutaka Machimura, who, in turn, committed to continue working towards closer relations between the two countries.

Putin, who was seated next to Mrs. Arroyo during the formal meetings, requested the Philippines’ support for Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization, to which she immediately agreed.

The President also discussed the protection of the rights and welfare of approximately 98,000 Filipino seafarers on Panamanian vessels with a ranking official from Panama, which is not an APEC member but was invited by Korea to attend the proceedings.