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| Arroyo to attend APEC summit despite spree of terror blasts |
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Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is still going to attend the 10th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Mexico despite the recent spree of terror blasts in both the south and the capital region.
In the summit meeting in Mexico, which will tackle terrorism and its effects on the economy, Arroyo will push for the holding of a high-level meeting on maritime security in next year's conference, the presidential palace said in a press statement released on Friday.
This is in order to address poverty, which is the breeding ground for the recruitment of terrorism, and as the Philippines' contribution to region-wide efforts to secure trade, the statement said.
This initiative seeks to lay the groundwork for a burden-sharing scheme among the developed and developing economies in APEC from which the Philippines would benefit. It will include items like port-to-port security, cargo handling, and customs procedures as well as consider sustainable development of marine resources.
Arroyo will also hold bilateral talks with her counterparts including Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Russian President Vladimir Putin and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, and US President George W. Bush.
Arroyo said earlier that her main goal in attending the summit is to promote the Philippines as an investment destination and thereby help to create jobs for Filipinos.
Arroyo also said leaders of the APEC member economies would be discussing ways to help one another's economies' survive and even move forward "during this difficult period of continuing terrorism."
Source: Xinhua
Editor: Zhao Xuan
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