Mahathir, Estrada no bilateral meeting

Mahathir, Estrada no bilateral meeting

MANILA (AFP): There will be no bilateral meeting between
Philippine President Joseph Estrada and Malaysian Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad during an Asia-Pacific leaders' summit in Kuala
Lumpur this month, Manila's top diplomat said on Thursday.

"We have never asked for a bilateral meeting," Philippine
Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon told reporters.

He said the only time Estrada would meet with Mahathir will be
a 45-minute call by the leaders of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Estrada and Mahathir have been at odds after the Philippine
leader publicly commented on the treatment of jailed former
Malaysian deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim whom he has described as a
"very good friend." His comments chilled ties with Kuala Lumpur
and broke a long-standing policy in ASEAN against interfering in
members' domestic affairs.