source: gmanews
The Mindanao peace process and various issues on bilateral relations will highlight the second Philippines-United Kingdom High Level Meeting in Manila on May 23.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will host the second round of the high-level talks, the first of which was held in London in 2009.
"The talks will take up a variety of issues on bilateral relations and political, economic, migration and consular matters. These include the Mindanao Peace Process, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program, exchange of business missions and Philippine-European Union (EU) issues like the PH-EU Philippine Co-operation Agreement (PCA)," the DFA said in a news release on its website Sunday.
Heading the Philippine and British delegations are DFA Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio and UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Asia Pacific Directorate Director Peter Wilson, respectively.
Wilson's visit comes at an auspicious time in Philippines-UK bilateral relations, the DFA said.
Last week, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague announced a strategic shift for the overseas network of the Foreign Office that will extend its global reach and strengthen its ties with emerging powers, such as the Philippines.
These changes include making new resources available to increase the UK's diplomatic capability in these countries.
Last May 11, UK Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie said he was very pleased that the new British Government has recognized the potential of the Philippines as an "emerging power" and the importance of developing an "even stronger and dynamic" bilateral partnership, during a meeting with the Filipino community in London.
He said that as an emerging power, the Philippines has been "growing in economic and political significance, and will play an increasingly big and important role in the world."
source: gmanews
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