Malaysian PM visits Philippines

Malaysian PM visits Philippines

PHILIPPINES: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi arrived on Monday for a visit to the Philippines after a brief visit to Laos.

Agenda to be discussed during his visit will include, among other things, anti-terror cooperation and efforts to forge peace with Filipino Muslim rebels, officials said.

In his first trip to Manila since assuming power on Oct. 31, Badawi will meet Philippine President Gloria Arroyo at the Malacanang palace for talks on Tuesday before returning home.

Badawi and Arroyo would discuss "security concerns of our two countries because we are both involved in the fight against terrorism," presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said ahead of Abdullah's arrival.

Upcoming peace talks between Manila and the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front being brokered by Malaysia are also expected to top the agenda of the talks, he said.

During his brief visit to Laos earlier in the day Badawi held talks with his Lao counterpart Boungnang Vorachit, Khamtay Siphandone, the Bernama news agency reported.

It was the first visit to the country by a Malaysian premier since Laos joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1997. -- AFP