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PNoy's Statement during a Joint Press Conf. with European Council Pres. Rompuy, 16 Sept 2014

Source: Video from RTVM President Benigno S. Aquino IIIs Statement during a joint press conference after meeting with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, Brussels, Belgium | Statement (Full text) below | President Herman Van Rompuy, friends from the European Union, ladies and gentlemen: Mr. President, allow me to express the gratitude for the excellent arrangements the staff and officers of the European Council have made in this second meeting of ours. This engagement, I believe, is all the more meaningful as we mark 50 years of friendship between the Philippines and the European Uniona partnership, which as I have conveyed to President Barroso, has had a very positive impact on the lives of my countrymen. Allow me, therefore, to reiterate the profound gratitude of our people for the invaluable assistance the European Union and its member states have extended to us in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Your solidarity and support have helped many of my affected countrymen rise from the rubble of devastation, and thus rebuild their lives and communities in a better and faster manner. Such kindness will never be forgotten by a grateful nation. Ladies and gentlemen, the President and I had a very engaged and open discussion today. We recalled the outstanding cooperation witnessed between the Philippines and the European Union over the past few yearsone that has culminated with the signing of our Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in 2012, which, once ratified, will serve as a general framework of our relations covering many areas of interest. I shared with President Van Rompuy the developments in Mindanao, a region which now sees a new future of peace, stability, and prosperity on the horizon. I informed the President that we have submitted the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law to Congress. We expect our Congress to pass this bill at the soonest possible time, so that we may implement even further positive change in the Land of Promise, and the transition to being the Land of Promises Fulfilled. The European Union has been one of our most valuable partners in securing and sustaining peace in Mindanao, and we are indeed grateful for the EUs continued support as we tread the straight and righteous path to peace and equitable development. The President and I also exchanged views on issues of common strategic concern, particularly maritime security. We discussed the new EU Maritime Strategy. In this regard, the EUs interest to be more actively engaged in ensuring freedom of navigation in the seas of Asia is welcome news, especially since it is a strategy anchored on the principles of international law. This new Maritime Strategy, might I note, emphasizes the rules-based governance of the maritime domain, the respect for existing international instruments such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as maritime multilateralism. The European Union has, without doubt, played a significant role in advancing the rule of law, not only in its region but also in the larger community of nations. We indeed value the EUs contributions to ensuring the peaceful and rules-based settlement of the conflicting claims in the South China Sea, an area which has served as a common domain for the many peoples of our region for centuries. As President, I believe that the EU may contribute so much more in championing this meaningful causein particular, in helping convince other parties to refrain from activities that increase tensions, clarifying their claims based on the UNCLOS, and thus submit the disputes to reasonable, rules-based, peaceful modes of resolution, such as arbitration. After all, it is our shared belief that adherence to the rule of law ensures stability, which in turn serves as the cornerstone of equitable advancement. This is the context in which the President and I affirmed our intent to further strengthen cooperation in a multitude of fields. We agreed to fast-track the completion of our respective internal procedures to ratify the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. We also committed to intensify consultations and cooperation on matters of mutual concern, both at the bilateral and multilateral levels. Finally, we agreed that it is high time for us to build an even more strategic partnershipone that not only focuses on aid and trade, but more importantly enables us to lay the foundations of a future teeming of opportunities for all our peoples, one where no one is left behind. Mr. President, I am confident that, as demonstrated by our engagement and the openness that we have demonstrated to one another, the partnership between the EU and the Philippines will not only remain strong and dynamic, but will serve as a beacon of cooperation and inclusiveness for generations to come. Thank you, and good day.

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Press statement by the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy following his meeting with the President of ...