26 July 2016 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr. met with H.E. Stéphane Dion, Foreign Minister of Canada on the sidelines of the 23rd ASEAN Regional Forum in Vientiane, Laos.
Secretary Yasay welcomed the Foreign Minister’s pledge that the Philippine has a good friend in Canada and that they wish to a be a good partner both to the Philippines and to ASEAN.
FM Dion thanked the Philippines for being an effective country coordinator for ASEAN-Canada dialogue relations and for ably chairing the ASEAN-Canada Post Ministerial Conference in the afternoon of 25 July 2016.
Canada thanked the Philippines for its support for its bid for a non-permanent Seat on the UN Security Council.
Secretary Yasay thanked Canada for its support to the Philippines’ peace process and for respecting the Philippines’ no-ransom policy. The Secretary also highlighted the government’s renewed efforts to pursue peace with Muslim and even with communist insurgents, with particular focus on socio-economic development. At the same time, the Secretary mentioned the President’s paramount concern for eliminating the terrorist threat posed by the Abu Sayyaf Group, as well as latest efforts that include beefing up military and law enforcement deployment and capabilities in ASG-infested areas.
The Canadian side welcomed President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s commitment to uphold human rights, which he highlighted in his State of the Nation Address. Secretary Yasay affirmed that the issue is indeed close to the President’s heart. END