Bush thanks GMA for backing US on Iraq

United States President George W. Bush thanked President Arroyo yesterday "for her government’s strong support for the US approach on Iraq," a White House statement said.

Bush called up Mrs. Arroyo and the two leaders discussed "counter-terrorism efforts around the world, including in Southeast Asia," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

In an official statement released Tuesday, Mrs. Arroyo said "the Philippines supports the case brought by the US against Iraq before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)," adding that the council should give the charges urgent and serious consideration.

Mrs. Arroyo said her administration "reaffirms its commitment to the global war against terrorism" and believes "the world will never be secure unless terrorist lairs are exposed and destroyed."

Meanwhile, in an apparent bid to prevent further straining ties with Baghdad, the Philippine crisis management committee led by former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Roy Cimatu is skipping a trip to Iraq during a visit to the Middle East.

Acting as the President’s special envoy, Cimatu said members of the crisis management committee are heeding the recommendation of the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad.

"We will definitely not go to Iraq," Cimatu said, adding that he would meet with five ambassadors from the Middle East prior to the trip to discuss contingency plans for the 1.5 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the region.

The Iraqi embassy in Manila earlier expressed strong protest over the government’s decision to evacuate all 121 OFWs and their dependents from Iraq.

The Philippines suspended evacuation operations after Iraq agreed to allow a weapons inspection team from the UN to enter Iraq and inspect the Middle East country for weapons of mass destruction.

Starting Monday, Cimatu said, members of the Philippine crisis management committee will meet with ambassadors from Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkey.

Cimatu said the five countries are considered critical areas as their close ties to the US may make them targets for Iraqi attacks should war break out between the US and Iraq.

Cimatu also said members of his committee will visit Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Israel, Qatar and Oman to assess the conditions of Filipino workers in those countries.

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas, meanwhile, said contingency measures are still in place, though evacuation of OFWs from Iraq has been suspended.

Sto. Tomas said the government will decide whether to push through with the evacuation or not after Cimatu’s committee has concluded its Middle East assessment tour. — Mayen Jaymalin, AFP