International relations and what I’m here to do

Last week visiting British Minister Hugo Swire MP used this space to write about his trip to Manila. Following the visit of one of our top diplomats, I remain on a foreign policy theme this week with some more reflections on international relations.

It is hard to pinpoint the time that international relations between states started. Some examples can be traced back to links between city states as early as 3500 BC. Clearly the need for international relations has increased with mankind’s ability to travel. Since the 1500s and Magellan’s circumnavigation of the globe, the world has been increasingly joined-up. Technology now means that Magellan’s three-year voyage, his final one cut short with his death at the battle of Mactan here in the Philippines, is possible in under 24 hours.

International relations tend to be divided up into bilateral or multilateral, with the rise of multilateral diplomacy in the 20th century being prompted by national rivalries and war that afflicted Europe and Asia so badly. The League of Nations has gone down in history as a failed organisation in that it did not prevent World War II. However it did represent a hope that countries could multilaterally resolve their differences.

The League has of course been succeeded by the United Nations which remains central to the global architecture of international relations we have today, and of which both our countries are committed members. I know that Filipinos are proud of the role that the late Foreign Secretary Carlos P. Romulo played as a signatory of the UN Charter and 4th Chair of the UN General Assembly. And just last week I attended an event at the Department of Foreign Affairs to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Manila Declaration on the resolution of peaceful disputes, another landmark in the history of the UN and international relations.

As the world has evolved, the nature and number of multilateral fora has multiplied. Even a diplomat can struggle to keep up with them. Here in South East Asia, ASEAN is the most important but there are also the East Asia Summit, which brings in other Asian countries, APEC, which brings in the whole of the Asia-Pacific region and ASEM which brings together Asian and European countries. All of these fora matter but bilateral relationships remain hugely important too. And that’s what brought Mr. Swire to Manila.

The UK was amongst the first countries to recognise the Philippines after independence. We have always enjoyed cordial relations prompted by shared values such as democracy, human rights and a shared language. British politicians and Royalty have visited. Senior Filipino leaders have visited London, most recently President Aquino. However relations have grown rapidly in recent years spurred by the economic growth here and the growing numbers of our people that live, work, study and visit each other’s countries.

My job is to make sure that these links are treasured, strengthened and grown. And I know this is a view shared by President Aquino and Secretary del Rosario whom Mr. Swire was honored to meet. The two ministers signed a Joint Plan of Action, which provides a roadmap for our bilateral relations in the years ahead. Whether it is in the area of cooperation in peace-building, trade and investment, links between legislators or promoting culture and tourism there is a huge amount for us to do. The Joint Plan of Action underlines how the relationship has blossomed and how we can make sure it continues to grow.

(Stephen Lillie is British Ambassador to the Philippines)