Pinoy diplomat elected chairman of nonaligned members committee

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will play an important role in the ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) later this month with the election of a Filipino diplomat as chair of one of the preparatory committees.

A statement from the Philippine Mission to the United Nations said Ambassador Leslie Gatan will head the Economic and Social Committee (Ecosoc) of the senior officials meeting.

Philippine permanent representative to the UN Hilario Davide Jr. reported to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo that Gatan was "elected by acclamation."

The Ecosoc will prepare for the 15th NAM Ministerial Conference in Tehran, Iran.

Davide said Gatan, as chairman, will steer the meetings of the Ecosoc Committee to thresh out pending issues that were not resolved by NAM members in New York. These include human rights, economic cooperation and other social and economic concerns.

"The most important initiative of the Philippine Delegation to Tehran is seeking the approval of the NAM Ministers of the offer of the Philippines to host in Manila a Special NAM Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace," Davide said.

The Philippines, which is pushing for an interfaith initiative in the United Nations, will propose in Tehran that the meeting be held on May 26 to 28, 2009.

Davide said the NAM 14th Summit in Havana in September has already approved in principle the offer of the Philippines to host this meeting.

Leading the Philippine delegation to the NAM Senior Officials Meeting on July 27-28 will be Assistant Secretary Evan Garcia of the Office of United Nations and Other International Organizations (UNIO) of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

On the other hand, leading the Philippine delegation to the Ministerial Conference on July 29 to 30 will be Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Special Concerns Rafael Seguis.

The triennial ministerial meeting consolidates the positions of the 118 member-countries on almost all issues being considered by the United Nations and the other organs of the UN such as the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Ecosoc. - GMANews.TV

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