Thursday, May 31, 2012

Philippine president sets historic trip to UK in June

..Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Wednesday that President Benigno Aquino III will undertake an official visit to London, United Kingdom as "guest of the UK government" on June 4 to 6. It will be Aquino's first visit to the United Kingdom as President of the Republic of the Philippines. The UK is also the only country in Europe that the President is scheduled to visit this year, the DFA said in a statement released to media. Aquino will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street where the two leaders are expected to discuss Philippines-UK political and economic cooperation, the UK's participation in the International Contact Group, regional and international issues, and anti-corruption and good governance practices of both the Philippines and UK Governments. While in London, the President will also meet with several top British investors, take part in the Philippine fun tourism campaign of the Department of Tourism and meet with the Filipino community in the UK, the largest in Europe. The Philippines and the United Kingdom established formal diplomatic relations on July 4, 1946. The UK is one of the Philippines' top European investors, the 23rd trading partner, the biggest tourism market in Europe and host to the biggest number of Filipinos in Europe. ..