(Eagle News) — Officials of the Kuwaiti government met with the Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and other Philippine officials on Tuesday, May 1, to discuss the recent labor row between the two countries.
Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah met with the Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) Abdullah Mamao and his accompanying delegation and discussed ways on how to continue the friendly relations of the two countries and overcome the current crisis, according to Kuwait’s News Agency (KUNA).
Among the Kuwaiti government officials who attended the meeting were Assistant Foreign Minister for Asia Ambassador Ali Al-Said, Assistant Foreign Minister for Protocols Ambassador Dhari Al-Ajran, Assistant Foreign Minister for the Deputy Foreign Minister’s Office Ambassador Ayham Al-Omar.
The Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Philippines who was earlier recalled back to the Kuwait capital by his government, Musaed Al-Thuwaikh, was also present in the meeting.
“They stressed the depth of friendly relations between both sides, pointing to mutual willingness to promote and develop them, and to overcome the crisis for the common interest of both countries,” the Kuwait’s news agency said regarding what was discussed during the meeting.
-Continuing talks with Kuwait-
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said that Philippine and Kuwaiti officials are continuing negotiations and talks on the Memorandum of Understanding covering OFWs in Kuwait, as he stressed that the Philippines was still trying to normalize ties with the Gulf State.
In fact, he said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III will be talking personally to Kuwait government officials regarding the MOU when he leaves for Kuwait on May 7.
“We still have a mission there to protect our nationals and Kuwait also is duty-bound to protect aliens under the standards dictated by international law, under terms and conditions which are not inferior to the way they treat their own nationals,” Roque said.
On April 30, Deputy Foreign Minister Nasser al-Subaih told reporters in Kuwait City, that the reported row with the Philippines regarding a video of rescue operations of allegedly distressed OFWs in Kuwait were “largely a misunderstanding and exaggeration of some minor or one-off cases.”
“We have taken a serious stance … but we do not believe in escalation and want to remain in direct communication to resolve the problem,” Subaih added.
-Moving forward-
Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano welcomed that conciliatory message on Tuesday.
“This gesture on the part of Kuwait, a country with which we have a shared history and strong people-to-people ties, will allow us to move forward,” Cayetano said in a statement.
“We affirm our friendship with the government of Kuwait and its people. The strength of that friendship will withstand this misunderstanding,” he added.
Cayetano apologized last week for the rescues, but Kuwait called them violations of sovereignty before expelling the Philippine envoy and recalling its own ambassador from Manila.
After a horrific murder of a Philippine maid in Kuwait, hundreds of such women are now streaming back home, recounting their abuse and hardship– but also saying they are ready to work abroad again. / AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS
Before relations plunged, Kuwait and the Philippines had been negotiating a labor deal that could have resulted in the lifting of the ban on Filipinos leaving to work in the Gulf state.
In a speech marking Labor Day, Duterte reiterated his long-standing condition that Kuwait implement more worker safeguards before the deployment ban of OFWS to the Gulf state can be lifted.
(with a report from Agence France Presse)