Taiwan, RP settle air dispute

MANILA, Philippines (AP): The Philippine government will propose a new round of talks on ending a long-standing aviation dispute with Taiwan Friday, one day after it imposed a three- month ban on the hiring of Filipino workers, an official said.

"We have to start the ball rolling," said Rodolfo Reyes, head of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, the Philippines' de facto embassy in Taiwan.

Reyes said he would get in touch with Taiwanese officials later Friday to seek another round of air agreement talks.

Reyes said, however, that the government's initiative was not motivated by Taiwan's ban on Filipino workers.

"The air dispute and the labor problems are distinct and not related to each other," Reyes said in an interview with the ABS- CBN News Channel.