Ramos apologizes to Mitterrand's wife

Ramos apologizes to Mitterrand's wife

MANILA (AFP): President Fidel Ramos has apologized to the wife of French President Francois Mitterrand for banning her from a controversial conference on East Timor in the Philippines last month.

In a letter to Danielle Miterrand, copies of which were released yesterday, Ramos -- who is to visit France in September -- said "my government sincerely regrets that your person has been so affected by this situation."

"Yet I am grateful that your response has been very correct," he said, referring to her decision to cancel her attendance at the Manila meeting, centered on alleged Indonesian military abuses in the former Portuguese colony.

Ramos, under pressure from Indonesia over the conference, barred foreign delegates from entering the country. Danielle Mitterrand's name was left on a blacklist despite her earlier declaration she would not attend.