Philippines, E Timor sign agreements
Updated
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo and visiting East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta have witnessed the signing of three bilateral agreements between their countries.
The agreements cover marine and fisheries cooperation, academic cooperation and training Timorese diplomats in the Philippine Foreign Service Institute.
Our reoprter in Manila, Shirley Escalante, says in their bilateral meeting, President Gloria Arroyo and East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta have agreed to strengthen relations between their countries.President Arroyo also assured Philippine support to East Timor's bid to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations by 2012.
The East Timor president also spoke before a public forum in Manila where he advocated the separation of religion from politics in any people's movement.
He said this was evident in the predominantly catholic East Timor's struggle against the mainly Muslim Indonesian invaders.
His remarks were particularly significant to the Philippines where muslim rebels have recently occupied several villages and committed atrocities against residents, including christian settlers.
The Philippines and East Timor are the only predominantly catholic countries in Asia.
