An Iraqi official yesterday warned against bowing to kidnappers amid deepening confusion on whether Manila intended to bring its troops home early from Iraq to save the life of a Filipino hostage.
Any Philippine decision to advance the scheduled departure date of Aug. 20 for the 51-strong humanitarian force would be unwelcome to the US and to Iraq's interim government.
Mowaffaq Abboud, an adviser to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, declined to comment on Manila's stance, but said the government opposed concessions to kidnappers.
PHOTO: REUTERS
"We think it is not a wise idea to give in to the demands of hostage-takers," he said. "This would encourage the terrorists to continue these practices."
The government, trying to enhance its authority after taking over from US-led occupiers on June 28, remains dependent on a 160,000-strong, mostly American, multinational force.
It has promised to wield a "sharp sword" against diehard insurgents and foreign militants, but also plans to offer an amnesty for Iraqi fighters who lay down their arms.
Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has called a news conference for tomorrow, but it was not immediately clear if he intended to use it to announce the long-expected amnesty.
The Philippine army was awaiting word from the government on whether it would withdraw from Iraq by July 20 as demanded by kidnappers threatening to behead hostage Angelo de la Cruz.
Foreign Secretary Delia Albert repeated a statement by her deputy that the Philippines would withdraw its troops "as soon as possible."
But Albert did not clarify what this meant.
Deputy Foreign Minister Rafael Seguis had made the offer in an appeal to the captors which aired on al Jazeera television.
The kidnappers had extended an execution deadline for de la Cruz to Monday night.
They then said they had moved him "to the place of implementing the punishment," al Jazeera said.
A senior Philippine army officer said it would take only three days to withdraw the troops, with US logistical help.
Bulgaria, which has vowed not to withdraw its troops from Iraq, said its two nationals held hostage in Iraq were alive despite the expiry of an execution deadline on Friday.
"The only thing I can confirm ... is that our two compatriots are really alive," Foreign Minister Solomon Passy said. "But the situation is tense and we are concerned because we cannot guarantee a positive outcome."
A group led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had threatened to kill drivers Georgi Lazov, 30, and Ivailo Kepov, 32, unless Iraqi prisoners were freed.
In other Iraq developments yesterday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and senior government officials received a report on the quality of prewar British intelligence on Iraqi weapons programs, a day before the potentially embarrassing findings were to be released to opposition politicians and the public.
Asked at a news conference whether he believed he had been given "duff intelligence" before the war, Blair said: "I'm afraid I don't accept that at all."
But Blair, speaking at a joint news conference with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, offered no comment on the report.
Also see story:
UKRAINE, NVIDIA: The US leader said the subject of Russia’s war had come up ‘very strongly,’ while Jenson Huang was hoping that the conversation was good Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and US President Donald Trump had differing takes following their meeting in Busan, South Korea, yesterday. Xi said that the two sides should complete follow-up work as soon as possible to deliver tangible results that would provide “peace of mind” to China, the US and the rest of the world, while Trump hailed the “great success” of the talks. The two discussed trade, including a deal to reduce tariffs slapped on China for its role in the fentanyl trade, as well as cooperation in ending the war in Ukraine, among other issues, but they did not mention
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi yesterday lavished US President Donald Trump with praise and vows of a “golden age” of ties on his visit to Tokyo, before inking a deal with Washington aimed at securing critical minerals. Takaichi — Japan’s first female prime minister — pulled out all the stops for Trump in her opening test on the international stage and even announced that she would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize, the White House said. Trump has become increasingly focused on the Nobel since his return to power in January and claims to have ended several conflicts around the world,
REASSURANCE: The US said Taiwan’s interests would not be harmed during the talk and that it remains steadfast in its support for the nation, the foreign minister said US President Donald Trump on Friday said he would bring up Taiwan with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) during a meeting on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in South Korea this week. “I will be talking about Taiwan [with Xi],” Trump told reporters before he departed for his trip to Asia, adding that he had “a lot of respect for Taiwan.” “We have a lot to talk about with President Xi, and he has a lot to talk about with us. I think we’ll have a good meeting,” Trump said. Taiwan has long been a contentious issue between the US and China.
Taiwan’s first African swine fever (ASF) case has been confirmed and would soon be reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) yesterday. The Ministry of Agriculture’s Veterinary Research Institute yesterday completed the analysis of samples collected on Tuesday from dead pigs at a hog farm in Taichung and found they were ASF-positive. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency Animal Quarantine Division chief Lin Nien-nung (林念農) said the result would be reported to the WOAH and Taiwan’s major trade partners would also be notified, adding that pork exports would be suspended. As of Friday, all samples
RSS