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Despite the hassles he encountered at the country’s airports when
he left the Philippines, Palau President Tommy Remengesau described
his recent state visit to the Philippines as “highly
successful.”
In a statement delivered and received by the
Department of Foreign Affairs, Remengesau thanked President Gloria
Arroyo and her government for the hospitality accorded to him and
his delegation during the state visit.
With regard to the incident at the airport where
airline officials refused to allow Remengesau – an internationally
recognized head of state – to forgo being frisked, the Palau
President merely stated that: “This was certainly an unfortunate
turn of events, but I will not let this small incident tarnish what
was otherwise a highly successful and memorable visit to the
Philippines.”
This was the first official state visit by
Palau’s head of state to the Philippines in 24 years. The
bilateral meeting between the two heads of states resulted in the
signing of memorandums of understanding on air services, health
care, telecommunications, and higher education.
While Remengsau thanked the Arroyo government
which “rolled out the red carpet for the Palau Delegation in all
respects,” he expressed disappointment at Continental Airlines’
unwillingness to recognize international protocols.
“Unfortunately, the Philippines’ efforts to
extend proper protocols to the [Palau] President upon departure were
thwarted by the airline’s representative in Manila. Philippine
officials escorting the President to the plane were told by the
airline that the President had to submit to the same security
screening as all other passengers. Philippine officials strongly
disagreed with what they considered to be unprecedented and
disrespectful treatment for a Head of State. With no resolution
forthcoming, the President returned to his hotel and the flight
departed,” the statement said.
The matter is to be brought up by the Palau
President with both the regional airlines serving Palau and the U.S.
Transportation Security Administration, to ensure that respect and
culturally-appropriate treatment is accorded to heads of states that
visit Palau.
“Our delegation thanks President Arroyo and
the government of the Philippines for the first class treatment we
received from the moment we set foot in the Philippines, especially
their,” the statement concludes.
-- Katrice R. Jalbuena
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