Arroyo to depart for Egypt, Syria on Saturday

MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will leave before dawn Saturday for a five-day foreign trip, including an official visit to Egypt and a state visit to Syria. A Malacañang statement said President Arroyo would leave with a "lean" delegation at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 at 2:30 a.m. The delegation would take a chartered Philippine Airlines flight PR-001 and is expected to return on Tuesday, May 6. President Arroyo's working visit to Egypt would focus on peace, interfaith dialogue and investments, the Palace statement said. "Egypt is one of the most influential members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and one of the most effective and efficient peace brokers in the Islamic world," the statement said. It added the President Arroyo would also meet with and invite Arab businessmen to invest in the Philippines. She is also expected to push for the Philippines' long-standing bid for an observer status in the OIC in her talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. She is also expected to meet with some 5,000 Filipinos, mostly migrant workers and students, in Egypt. On the other hand, President Arroyo would search for new business and investment opportunities for the Philippines during her state visit to Syria. She is also expected to meet representatives of the estimated 17,000 Filipinos working in Syria. Highlights of the two-day visit include her bilateral meeting with Syrian President Bashar Al-assad. She is also scheduled to sign partnership and cooperation agreements with the Syrian president. - GMANews.TV