June 21, 2012 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today made the following statement after his meeting with Albert F. Del Rosario, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines:
“Today, I had the great pleasure of hosting Secretary Del Rosario, my Filipino counterpart. We discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues, and I look forward to continuing to cooperate with him.
“For more than 60 years, Canada-Philippines relations have been getting stronger and gaining momentum. Today, this relationship is more important than ever, as the people-to-people links between Canada and the Philippines continue to grow, especially within the ever-expanding Filipino community in Canada.
“Our two countries have collaborated on a wide range of areas, including the promotion of democratic development, international security, and the promotion and protection of human rights.
“Today, we signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint commission for bilateral cooperation. The commission will facilitate continued dialogue and increase the cooperation between our two countries on a variety of areas of mutual interest.
“Our bilateral relationship remains vital, especially as Canada increases its engagement within Southeast Asia. For over 35 years, Canada has been a proud dialogue partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which the Philippines is a member state.”
- 30 -
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874
Follow us on Twitter: @DFAIT_MAECI
