Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario calling on Acting Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. (Photo: MFA) 
Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam. (Photo: MFA)Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines Albert del Rosario made an introductory visit to Singapore from 11 to 12 October at the invitation of Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam.
As part of his visit, Secretary del Rosario called on Acting Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean this morning. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the warm and expanding bilateral relations between Singapore and the Philippines, and exchanged views on the regional economic and security situation. In this regard, Acting Prime Minister emphasised that a strong and united ASEAN was important for the region. Acting Prime Minister also welcomed the recent framework peace agreement reached between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on establishing a new autonomous region, Bangsamoro, noting that this marked good progress towards building peace and stability in the region.
Secretary del Rosario also met with, and was hosted to dinner by Minister Shanmugam yesterday. Besides discussing how bilateral relations could be further enhanced, Secretary del Rosario and Minister Shanmugam also exchanged views on regional issues. They discussed developments in the South China Sea, and agreed that it was crucial for all parties involved to manage the disputes responsibly and in a peaceful manner, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This would underscore the importance of ASEAN in promoting regional prosperity and stability.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
12 OCTOBER 2012