Noy, Singapore leaders discuss Spratly issue, Mideast turmoil

SINGAPORE (via PLDT) – President Aquino, President S.R. Nathan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have discussed the Spratly issue, although Singapore is not among the claimants to the oil-rich islands.

In a briefing with Manila-based reporters, Secretary Herminio Coloma said Singapore expressed hope for the immediate settlement of the conflict in the South China Sea.

“They hope it would be turned into an area of cooperation,” he said.

“They also hope that the problem will be adjudicated and resolved under international law, given the uncertainty and volatility of the situation in the region.”

Spratlys is an “opportunity for development because of its natural resources,” he added.

Coloma said the heads of state also tackled the Middle East problem, which involved “considerable discussion,” the continuation of bilateral and regional ties, the inspiration Rizal brought to Singaporeans, clearing up of the Singapore River and human settlement in watershed areas, among others.

“The important thing is that both leaders agreed that they need, and the countries in the region (as well)… to take not just a regional but an international perspective because the events that are happening today have significant global implications,” he said.

“It’s not as if, if it happens in one geographical area, duon lang iyun (that’s all it is). There are always global implications so they agreed that the cooperation would have to take into account the regional and international perspective.”

Coloma said Nathan told Aquino that Filipino national hero Dr. Jose Rizal provides inspiration to the Singaporean people.

“He was an advocate of freedom, a brilliant propagandist of the cause of Philippine nationhood and freedom,” Coloma quoted Nathan as saying.

“He (Nathan) also expressed confidence that the President will be able to restore the Philippines to its expected status given his programs of good governance and that the country has a large talent pool.”

Coloma said Singapore was impressed with the talent, skill, determination and perseverance of the Filipino worker that “Singapore would like to continue and perhaps even expand mutual cooperation (between the two countries through the implementation of) a program called the Singapore Cooperation Program (SCP).”

The SCP is an education program whereby the Singapore government offers scholarships and training programs to Filipinos, specifically those in the professional and managerial strata, he added.

Aquino said in the brief duration of his visit, which started on Wednesday afternoon, “our delegation has learned significant things from Singapore especially… how they established the water recycling program.”

In October 2010, Aquino told his colleagues in the 17th Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit held in Hanoi, Vietnam that Asian neighbors are always better off as friends rather than adversaries.

“The code of conduct (in the South China Sea) is number one (in our priority in the Spratly issue) and perhaps an even more formalized plan towards exploiting it, perhaps on a cooperative basis,” he told reporters at the Grand Plaza Hotel in Hanoi.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier said the President would also push for the creation of a binding code to prevent armed hostilities among countries with territorial claims to islets and reefs in the South China Sea.

“It will be good if no hostilities will flare up in the area and maybe the next phase should be, how do we explore the possibility that all claimant-countries can really start reaping the fruits of the potentials of this area so that it will be beneficial,” Aquino said earlier.