GMA arrives in Cuban capital

HAVANA — President Arroyo arrived here last night to attend the 14th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), where she pushed for migrant workers’ welfare, interfaith dialogue, and disaster-mitigation, among other economic and security issues on the discussion table.

Mrs. Arroyo, who was elected to one of the vice chairmanships of the NAM summit, arrived at the Jose Marti International Airport aboard a chartered Philippine Airlines jet after an 11-hour flight from London.

Wearing a gray suit, she was accorded military honors and was met by Cuban First Vice President Raul Castro on a red carpet lined with troops with a band playing behind them. Cuban President Fidel Castro, 80, is still recuperating after undergoing intestinal surgery on July 31 and has since temporarily ceded power to his brother Raul for the first time since leading the Cuban Revolution in 1959.

The presidential party, which included Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, proceeded straight to the Hotel Parque Central where they are billeted.

Bunye said efforts are being made for a meeting between Mrs. Arroyo and President Castro, who reports said might be able to regain enough strength to appear at the summit.

Romulo said the Philippines has diplomatic relations with nearly all of the 118 nations comprising the NAM, thus Mrs. Arroyo would also maximize the visit to lobby for the country’s interests.

Romulo said the Philippines would encourage the NAM member-nations to continue to participate in interfaith dialogues for peace and development.

He said Mrs. Arroyo had successfully launched the interfaith dialogue in the United Nations where the Philippine initiative was co-sponsored by NAM members.

"Because it’s through interfaith dialogue that we are able to remove the misunderstanding and intolerance about each other’s religion and in fact it’s through interfaith dialogue where we were able to have the peace process that is being undertaken in the South. Mrs. Arroyo will also push for NAM to accede to the Philippine initiative to protect migrant workers before the United Nations.

"After all, we are not the only nation that has migrant workers. It’s important that their rights are protected, their working conditions are protected, and that they get fair treatment from the host governments," he said.

Another measure Mrs. Arroyo would seek support for in the summit is the debt-for-development plan for low and middle-income countries including the Philippines. The initiative has the endorsement of the G-77 nations and China.

The Philippines will also call for a structure where NAM members can assist member nations during disasters, including humanitarian assistance.

He said there are many NAM members that are also part of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) so Mrs. Arroyo will take the opportunity to talk with some leaders of Muslim countries to boost the peace process in Mindanao and for the Philippines’ bid for an observer status in the OIC.

Gonzales said NAM, which was created during the Cold War, is "changing its complexion" following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

"The NAM was organized during the Cold War, but there is no more Cold War today. That is why we would like to view the NAM positively again as an aggrupation of nations looking at their common interests and not merely hating one country or another," Gonzales said.