A diplomatic row between Australia and the Philippines over Iraq policy looked set to deepen yesterday after the foreign ministry in Manila called the Australian ambassador in for a meeting.
A spokesman for Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and an Australian embassy official in Manila confirmed that ambassador Ruth Pearce had been called in.
Philippines foreign affairs department sources said that Pearce would meet a senior diplomat yesterday afternoon, but that Philippine Foreign Secretary Delia Albert would not be present as she was on an official visit to Mindanao island.
Officials in Manila did not confirm Australian media reports that the government had called the meeting to express anger over Downer's criticism of Manila's withdrawal from Iraq to save a Filipino hostage's life.
Demonstrators tore up and burned Australian flags and images of Downer and Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Manila on Tuesday in protest at Australia's criticism.
Downer has refused to apologize to Spain and the Philippines for saying their withdrawal of troops from Iraq encouraged militants, saying they needed "to face up to the truth" that terrorists were exploiting them.
Spain summoned Australia's ambassador in Madrid on Monday to protest Australia's stance, which it described as "unacceptable."
Downer blamed the two countries after a group saying it was the European wing of al-Qaeda threatened Australia and Italy with attacks if they did not follow Spain and the Philippines by withdrawing their troops.
Howard has also refused to back down or criticize comments by Downer, saying his conservative government's hardline stand against giving in to terrorists should be used elsewhere.
Downer this week had suggested the Philippines was acting "like a marshmallow" by deciding to withdraw troops from Iraq early to save the life of a hostage threatened with beheading.
"I don't think Alexander Downer has gone too far at all," Howard said during a pre-election visit to Karratha in Western Australia. "Alexander Downer was strongly putting the view that you do not give in to terrorists, and I totally support him."
"We will never turn back the tide of terrorism if we bargain and parlay with them and that has been the position of the Australian government all along and other countries should adopt the same position," he said.
The Philippines brought its small contingent home last week, straining its close alliance with Washington but winning widespread support at home for securing the release of truck driver and father of eight Angelo de la Cruz.
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has asked allies to understand the decision because she had to protect the interests of 8 million Filipinos living abroad, many escaping poverty.
The Philippine ambassador to Australia, Cristina Ortega, was un-available for comment yesterday, but Australian newspapers reported that she was disappointed with Australia's "harsh criticisms" of her country.
"We feel very hurt because we thought we were allies," she told the Age newspaper.
Australia's opposition Labor Party also attacked the government over its public criticism, saying Australia must tread carefully when criticizing Southeast Asian neighbors such as the Philippines.
"Australia needs a close partnership with the Philippine government, and all other countries in Southeast Asia if we are going to deal with this threat," Labor's defense spokesman Kim Beazley said.
CONFRONTATION: The water cannon attack was the second this month on the Philippine supply boat ‘Unaizah May 4,’ after an incident on March 5 The China Coast Guard yesterday morning blocked a Philippine supply vessel and damaged it with water cannons near a reef off the Southeast Asian country, the Philippines said. The Philippine military released video of what it said was a nearly hour-long attack off the Second Thomas Shoal (Renai Shoal, 仁愛暗沙) in the contested South China Sea, where Chinese ships have unleashed water cannons and collided with Philippine vessels in similar standoffs in the past few months. The China Coast Guard and other vessels “once again harassed, blocked, deployed water cannons, and executed dangerous maneuvers” against a routine rotation and resupply mission to
GLOBAL COMBAT AIR PROGRAM: The potential purchasers would be limited to the 15 nations with which Tokyo has signed defense partnership and equipment transfer deals Japan’s Cabinet yesterday approved a plan to sell future next-generation fighter jets that it is developing with the UK and Italy to other nations, in the latest move away from the country’s post-World War II pacifist principles. The contentious decision to allow international arms sales is expected to help secure Japan’s role in the joint fighter jet project, and is part of a move to build up the Japanese arms industry and bolster its role in global security. The Cabinet also endorsed a revision to Japan’s arms equipment and technology transfer guidelines to allow coproduced lethal weapons to be sold to nations
Thousands of devotees, some in a state of trance, gathered at a Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Bangkok renowned for sacred tattoos known as Sak Yant, paying their respects to a revered monk who mastered the practice and seeking purification. The gathering at Wat Bang Phra Buddhist temple is part of a Thai Wai Khru ritual in which devotees pay homage to Luang Phor Pern, the temple’s formal abbot, who died in 2002. He had a reputation for refining and popularizing the temple’s Sak Yant tattoo style. The idea that tattoos confer magical powers has existed in many parts of Asia
ON ALERT: A Russian cruise missile crossed into Polish airspace for about 40 seconds, the Polish military said, adding that it is constantly monitoring the war to protect its airspace Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and the western region of Lviv early yesterday came under a “massive” Russian air attack, officials said, while a Russian cruise missile breached Polish airspace, the Polish military said. Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in a series of deadly aerial attacks, with yesterday’s strikes coming a day after the Russian military said it had seized the Ukrainian village of Ivanivske, west of Bakhmut. A militant attack on a Moscow concert hall on Friday that killed at least 133 people also became a new flash point between the two archrivals. “Explosions in the capital. Air defense is working. Do not