Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will attend the plenary meeting of the United Nations General Assembly and preside over a UN Security Council summit this month, making her the country's first leader doing so, the Philippines' department of foreign affairs told the press on Thursday.

The arrangement for Arroyo came after the Philippines' assumption of the UN security council presidency for September, according to Lauro Baja Jr., the country's permanent representative to the UN.

Leaving for the UN headquarters in New York on Sept. 12, Arroyo will attend the General Assembly and also preside over a Security Council summit, Baja added.

Arroyo will be the first Philippine chief executive, the first Asian leader, and the first female head of state to preside over the UN Security Council summit, the third such meeting since 1992.

The Philippines was elected in 2003 to be one of the nonpermanent members of the 15-nation council for the term 2004-2005.

On Wednesday, Arroyo's administration saw much relief from the current impeachment pressure, after the lower house committee of justice rejected all impeachment complaints against the president.

Source: Xinhua