New Zealand Premier backs RP bid for seat in UN Security Council

SAN JOSE, California (via PLDT) — President Arroyo has secured the firm commitment of New Zealand to vote for the Philippines’ bid to get a non-permanent seat to the United Nations Security Council.

New Zealand likewise expressed full support to UN Security Council Resolution 373, which seeks to include the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in the watchlist of foreign terrorist organizations.

This was a day after Mrs. Arroyo met with New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark at the end of the two-day APEC Leaders’ Summit in Los Cabos, Mexico.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said that during the meeting of the two women leaders, Mrs. Arroyo sought New Zealand’s support for the country’s bid for the UN seat, to which the Prime Minister readily agreed.

There are 15 countries with seats in the UNSC, of which five are permanent members –the US, Russia, France, China and Britain.

Bunye said that the communist insurgency problem in the Philippines was also discussed. The President, he disclosed, informed Prime Minister Clark of the recent mission of a four-man Philippine government delegation headed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople to the European Union, which has been supportive of the CPP-NPA in the past, to discuss the insurgency problem.

"President Arroyo highlighted the government’s present campaign to encourage countryside vigilance against the NPA noting that funding for the insurgents is fast drying up and that is the reason why the rebels are now resorting to extortion," Bunye said.

For her part, the New Zealand leader expressed interest in entering into an air services agreement with the Philippines.

Before she left Los Cabos, Mexico, Mrs. Arroyo also had bilateral talks with Dr. Yuan Tseh Lee, Chinese Taipei’s representative to the APEC Leaders’ Summit.

Bunye said the President is interested in the "Go South" policy being pursued by the new leader of the Chinese Taipei government which she believes will be beneficial to the Philippines in terms of getting Taiwanese investments into the country.