PGMA's Opening Statement during the Press Conference |
Maeklong Ballroom, Oriental Hotel Bangkok, Thailand (08 May 2002) |
| I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
NATIONAL PRESS OF THAILAND, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE REGIONAL AND FOREIGN MEDIA, AND OUR
REPORTERS FROM THE PHILIPPINES FOR JOINING US HERE. I VALUE YOUR ROLE IN STRENGTHENING
REGIONAL SOLIDARITY AND COOPERATION, WHICH IS THE PURPOSE OF MY TRIP. MINE IS A VERY SHORT OVERNIGHT TRIP, BUT ITS GAINS ARE FAR-REACHING AND SIGNIFICANT. THE FORM AND PROCESS OF DIPLOMACY IS RAPIDLY CHANGING. WHERE BEFORE, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE LONG MEETINGS AND CEREMONIES, NOW THE ATMOSPHERE AND CONDUCT OF FOREIGN POLICY IS MUCH MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND BUSINESSLIKE. THIS IS LARGELY BECAUSE LEADERS DO NOT NEED MUCH TIME TO TALK FORMALLY TO MUTUALLY DECIDE ON SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. SOMETIMES WE JUST AGREE TO USE THE PHONE. THERE IS A TONE OF INFORMALITY BUT DEEP SERIOUSNESS. THIS IS THE SPIRIT OF ACTION AND DIPLOMACY TODAY. THIS IS THE SPIRIT OF OUR RELATIONS WITH PRIME MINISTER THAKSIN AS WELL AS PRIME MINISTER MAHATHIR, WHOM I HAVE JUST VISITED IN KUALA LUMPUR. IN THIS LIGHT, MY VISITS TO BANGKOK AND KUALA LUMPUR HAVE BEEN FOCUSED, CONSTRUCTIVE AND REWARDING. I WILL LEAVE THIS EVENING SATISFIED THAT THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF THE PHILIPPINES, THE IMPERATIVES OF REGIONAL SECURITY AND PROGRESS, AND THE CAUSE OF GLOBAL PEACE WILL HAVE BEEN SERVED, IN THIS QUEST I AM PROUD TO STAND TOGETHER WITH THIS GREAT COUNTRY. THAILAND AND THE PHILIPPINES HAVE A TIME-HONORED IDENTITY WITH THE VALUES OF FREEDOM. CENTURIES OF BONDING HAVE MADE US ONE IN FACING HISTORICAL CHALLENGES. NOBODY MUST BE SURPRISED WHY WE CAN COME TOGETHER ON MANY CONCERNS SO SMOOTHLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY. I UNDERSTAND THE NECESSARY BRIEFERS ON MY TRIP HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED. SO, I WILL NOT DWELL ON THE DETAILS, AND WE CAN GO ON TO YOUR QUESTIONS. |