News Analysis: Philippine president tries to mend ties with US

In an apparent bid to win back the support of the United States, Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo highlighted the Bush administration's leading role in the war against terror when she spoke before the UN Security Council summit, said political analysts here.

Arroyo, who presided over the summit, said that the Philippines ' strategic alliance with Washington and the assistance it provides the government on its counter-terrorism drive led to the arrest of a number of terrorists in the Philippines.

To help develop the country's capacity to prevent terrorism, Arroyo said her government found it practical to accept American assistance for its ongoing defense reforms and soon for Philippine law enforcement reforms.

"To deny terrorists the means to carry out their attacks, we have found it practical to recognize the leadership of the United States in the war against terror," Arroyo said.

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice nodded thrice in approval over Arroyo's statement.

Philippine political analysts said that Arroyo is desperate to mend her personal ties with the US, especially after the impeachment complaints against her were killed by the congress, because timely support endorsed by Washington would be crucial to help her beat the opposition drastically.

So, Arroyo's statement exalting the US "natural leader" role on counter-terrorism, as well as her appeal to uphold US proliferation security initiative, appeared as if the Philippines is promoting the US in the United Nations, which ironically did not sanction the US-led war in Iraq.

Philippine-US bilateral relations have soured after Arroyo ordered the pullout of its small contingent to Iraq in 2004 in capitulation to the demands of a militant group who threatened to behead a Filipino truck driver.

Arroyo did have some reason to believe that the US might abandon her by expressing neutral stance amid Philippine domestic political turmoil aroused by her opposition.

Source: Xinhua