Source: Department of Foreign Affairs
22 May 2011–The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will host the 2nd Philippines-United Kingdom High Level Meeting on May 23.
Heading the Philippine and British delegations are Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Erlinda F. Basilio and Director Peter Wilson of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office-Asia Pacific Directorate, respectively.
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).
Mr. Wilson’s visit comes at an auspicious time in Philippines-UK bilateral relations. 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.
In a meeting with the Filipino community in London on May 11, British Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie said 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.
He explained 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.”
This will be the second round of high level talks between the Philippines and the UK, the first of which was held in London in 2009.
Published on 22 May 2011
