Nothing definite yet on Noy-Hu meeting at APEC

MANILA, Philippines – Russky Island, Vladivostok – Aside from China, President Aquino is also seeking bilateral talks with leaders of Singapore, Vietnam and Chile, a foreign affairs official said here Wednesday.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Laura del Rosario clarified that nothing is definite yet, even in the request of Chinese leader Hu Jintao for a meeting with Aquino, because schedules of heads of state are “too complicated.”

Aquino and Hu are among the 21 leaders who are set to attend this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit here.

US President Barack Obama will not attend the APEC meeting due to the forthcoming US presidential elections.

“We’re looking at Vietnam, Chile, Singapore and China. I don’t know if there are others. I don’t know about the other requests. I’m only sure of those four,” Del Rosario said.

President Aquino will leave for Valdivostok today for the APEC meeting to be held this weekend.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing yesterday the Philippines would take it as an opportunity to foster greater economic cooperation with other countries.

Lacierda said the Chinese and Philippine authorities were still finalizing the details of the meeting between Aquino and Chinese President Hu Jintao on side of the APEC meeting.

“We will confirm the meeting as soon as it has been ironed out by both the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) and the Chinese Foreign Ministry,” he said.

Aquino will have two separate bilateral meetings on Saturday with the leaders of Singapore and Chile at 9 a.m. It will be followed by his attendance at the APEC Leaders Retreat Session 1 at 3 p.m.

Aquino will also participate in the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) dialogue with APEC leaders, which is a key feature of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM).

Later in the evening, President Aquino will join the other 20 heads of state and government in the APEC Leaders’ Dinner.

Aquino will have a bilateral meeting on Sunday with the head of state of Vietnam at 10:15 a.m., followed by his attendance at the APEC Leaders Retreat Session 2 at 11 a.m.

Later in the afternoon, the President will join the other leaders at the official APEC family photo opportunity.

Before he leaves for Manila, Aquino will attend the working lunch with APEC Leaders.

APEC is an organization of economies in the Asia-Pacific region, and it has 21 members.

It is the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.

Del Rosario would not say, however, when the bilateral meeting with China would be held and what would be the agenda, although it would probably be the highly contested West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), where the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia have overlapping claims.

“Availability is the problem. Even if you have counterparts who want to meet with you but if you have no common time, that becomes a problem. So, even if you want to talk, you cannot talk,” she said, citing the three-and-a-half-hour time given to APEC leaders.

Del Rosario, who revealed the China request for a meeting during an earlier APEC briefing in Malacañang, was more cautious in her remarks this time.

“Well, it’s now a mutual request, as far as I know. I think we are both interested. I think whether one initiated or the other, right now it becomes immaterial,” she said.

Aquino and Hu are expected to discuss the highly sensitive dispute over the Spratly Islands.

“It will be nice, you know, if they (Aquino and Hu) can meet. This is something that we are all excited about,” she said.

Del Rosario said she was also excited about the bilateral meeting with Chile.

“It’s a very rare moment for these leaders to be together. That’s why for us we are also excited that he’s going to meet one of the Latin American leaders because they say we are the lost Latin country in Asia,” she pointed out.

Aquino and the rest of the Philippine delegation will arrive here today to join the other 20 other world leaders at the 20th APEC Leaders’ meeting from Sept. 8 to 9.

He will be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima.

Aquino will be welcomed by officials from the Foreign Ministry Affairs, Russian Federation, Governor of Primorsky Krai region and Philippine embassy officials to be led by Ambassador to Moscow Alejandro Mosquera, Charge d’ Affaires Dinno Oblena, and Consul General Yuri Kostyukov of the Philippine Consulate General.