Filipino foreign minister begins three-day visit

JAKARTA (JP): The Philippines' new Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon is scheduled to begin a three-day introductory visit to Indonesia today.

Siazon will meet with Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas at his office on Jl. Pejambon this afternoon and will pay a courtesy call on President Soeharto tomorrow.

It is customary in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for newly-appointed foreign ministers to make introductory visits to their fellow member states.

ASEAN is a socio-political grouping, comprised of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Slazon's visit comes on the heels of a working visit by Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.

Early last month Siazon took over the post of foreign secretary from Roberto Romulo, who resigned under pressure amid domestic uproar over the hanging of Filipina maid Flor Contemplation in Singapore on March 17.

The execution caused a diplomatic rift between Singapore and Manila, with Philippines President Fidel Ramos at one point threatening to break off relations.

Before assuming his current position, Siazon was the Philippine's ambassador to Japan.

It is expected that during this afternoon's meeting, Siazon and Alatas will discuss the continuation of the Jakarta-brokered peace talks between Manila and the southern Philippines' Moro National Liberation Front separatist group.

The next round of talks has tentatively been scheduled to occur within the next two months. Indonesia has so far hosted two rounds of peace talks between Manila and the separatist group. (mds)