Visiting Iran official lauds OFWs, calls them 'friends'
11/20/2009 | 10:32 AM
Thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) received kudos from no less than the Iran's foreign minister for their contributions to its economy since the 1970s.
Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki relayed the sentiment to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo during their recent meeting.
"(Mottaki) paid tribute to the contributions to the Iranian economy and society of the thousands of Filipinos who worked in Iran in the 1970s, stating that they are friends who 'know Iran very well,'" the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The DFA said Mottaki also informed Romulo that the Iranian government under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “has put relations with Asia as its priority."
Earlier this year, some 1,300 Filipinos living and working in the oil-rich nation would be in danger after protests in Iran erupted over the alleged electoral fraud.
The DFA maintained that there was no need to evacuate the Filipinos. Some of the Filipino professionals there include 30 doctors, 25 engineers and 30 teachers.
For his part, Romulo thanked Mottaki for the Iranian government’s support of the Philippine bid for observer status in the Organization of Islamic Conference, and for the peace process in Mindanao.
Romulo pledged the Philippines will work with Iran and other countries in ensuring the success of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in May 2010.
The Philippines is the President-elect of the 2010 NPT Review Conference which will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Ambassador Libran Cabactulan will preside over the conference on behalf of the Philippines. - GMANews.TV
Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki relayed the sentiment to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo during their recent meeting.
"(Mottaki) paid tribute to the contributions to the Iranian economy and society of the thousands of Filipinos who worked in Iran in the 1970s, stating that they are friends who 'know Iran very well,'" the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The DFA said Mottaki also informed Romulo that the Iranian government under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “has put relations with Asia as its priority."
Earlier this year, some 1,300 Filipinos living and working in the oil-rich nation would be in danger after protests in Iran erupted over the alleged electoral fraud.
The DFA maintained that there was no need to evacuate the Filipinos. Some of the Filipino professionals there include 30 doctors, 25 engineers and 30 teachers.
For his part, Romulo thanked Mottaki for the Iranian government’s support of the Philippine bid for observer status in the Organization of Islamic Conference, and for the peace process in Mindanao.
Romulo pledged the Philippines will work with Iran and other countries in ensuring the success of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in May 2010.
The Philippines is the President-elect of the 2010 NPT Review Conference which will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Ambassador Libran Cabactulan will preside over the conference on behalf of the Philippines. - GMANews.TV
