Phl, Argentina strengthen ties

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and Argentina met yesterday to discuss bilateral relations, regional issues, including territorial disputes as Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario welcomed Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman in his official visit.

“As the first foreign minister from Latin America to visit the Philippines under the administration of President Aquino, Minister Timerman’s visit is a milestone in Philippine-Argentina relations. It reaffirms the close ties that have always existed between our two countries,” Del Rosario said.

The two ministers and their respective delegations discussed the state of bilateral relations and analyzed and identified areas of mutual interest for the development of technical cooperation in the fields of science and technology, agriculture, diplomacy, trade and energy.

The Philippine-Argentina Technical Working Group on Technical Cooperation presented to the ministers a plan of action for 2012 to 2014 where both sides commit to undertake projects in the field of biotechnology and agriculture. Additionally, they had a productive exchange of views on matters of regional interest, such as FEALAC, MERCOSUR, UNASUR, ASEAN, and East Asia Summit.

The foreign secretary welcomed the Argentine government’s donation of 400,000 water purification tablets to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to relieve the sanitary situation brought about by the tropical storms and floods that have recently affected the Philippines. DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said the discussions also focused on some issues that the two countries face from their own side.

Del Rosario and Timerman recalled the United Nations’ resolutions regarding the sovereignty dispute related to the “Question of the Malvinas Islands,” which requested Argentina and the United Kingdom to resume negotiations in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy.

He also updated Timerman on the recent maritime issues in Southeast Asia, and discussed the use of peaceful means to settle disputes.

Hernandez said both sides believe in pursuing rules-based and peaceful resolution of disputes.

The Philippines invited China to join Manila at the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for a “legal” and “lasting” resolution of territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Del Rosario said “a diplomatic solution would likely be temporary whereas a legal one would be lasting” and international law would be the greatest equalizer.

The purpose of the exercise will be to ascertain which of the two countries has sovereign rights over the waters surrounding Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal where Chinese ships are engaging in illegal activities within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

But China viewed the submission of the dispute over Panatag Shoal to international arbitration as a “weird” thing in international affairs.  

Reciprocity

Timerman also called on President Aquino at Malacañang, where he expressed his gratitude for the reception and conveyed the greetings and good wishes of the President of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, to the Philippine President.

He also stressed the importance of this visit as it aims to increase cooperation between the two countries to a new level on the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, which will be celebrated in 2013.

Timerman also made mention of the agreements signed during his meeting with Del Rosario, which were aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation and broadening engagement in the fields of culture and sports.