President of the Republic on the Jolo hostage crisis

(Letter from the President to President Joseph Estrada)



President of the Republic Tarja Halonen wrote to President Joseph Estrada of the Philippines about the hostage crisis on Jolo island on Friday, May 19, 2000. In her letter the President emphasized the importance of finding a rapid peaceful solution and reiterated her support for the assistance earlier promised by the EU to the Philippine Government. In addition, the President asked that a permanent humanitarian channel be opened to the hostages immediately.

To stress her point, the President on May 22, 2000 called the Philippine Foreign Minister Domingo Siazon, whom she knows from earlier contexts.

In the conversation the President repeated her above-mentioned arguments and the promise of assistance. Mr. Siazon explained the situation on Jolo and stated that opening up a permanent humanitarian channel was also the goal of the Philippine Government.

President Tarja Halonen and Foreign Minister Domingo Siazon agreed to keep in direct contact in the future.