UK willing to give RP more help in peace process, says envoy

The British government is willing to assist the Philippines in its peace process with rebel forces if the Philippine government so requests, a visiting official from the United Kingdom said Wednesday. "We already have given some assistance and we are happy to give as much assistance as we are requested to give," said UK Minister of State for Southeast Asia Jeremy Browne in a press briefing in Malacañang after paying a courtesy call on President Benigno Aquino III. But Browne was quick to add that the UK is not going to try to impose its ideas on the Philippines regarding the conduct of peace negotiations. "I don't want anybody to think that we are trying to impose our ideas on you. That is the decision that needs to be made within the Philippines, there is no absolute right or wrong answer for resolving disputes," said the British official. The British government reached a peaceful settlement of the 400-year armed conflict in Northern Ireland in 1998 with the signing of the "Good Friday Agreement." UK officials had dispensed advice for the Philippine government in the past about solving conflicts with rebel forces, with former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself saying the Philippine government is welcoming assistance from the British government. Browne said he and Aquino also talked about continuing the two countries' trade and business relations, adding that the UK does not want to limit itself to its traditional allies in Europe and North America. "We talked about the importance that the British government attaches to free trade, open market competition, that we don't want to see protectionism as a response to some of the world's global economic problems," said Browne. "We want to reach to the emerging economies of the world and a lot of those emerging economies are here in Asia including the Philippines and there are real opportunities for us to work together to trade with each other to bring about mutual benefits for both of our countries," he said, adding that the British government values the Filipinos in the UK who are working in nursing or residential care. According to a Palace statement, the UK is cumulatively the biggest European investor in the Philippines, with British investments amounting to US$18 billion in the past 10 years. Around 200 British companies, ranging from multi-national to small and medium enterprises, are active in the Philippines.—JV, GMANews.TV