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SINGAPORE?When she makes what should be her final appearance at a gathering of the leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be sitting right next to the world?s most powerful leader.
She will share the spotlight with US President Barack Obama on Sunday as ?chief coordinator? in Obama?s first-ever dialogue with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
In that capacity, Arroyo will speak on behalf of all the 10 Asean leaders during their dialogue at the Shangri-La Hotel here beginning at 3:15 p.m. Sunday, Foreign Undersecretary Enrique Manalo said.
Manalo sought to correct impressions in some quarters that Arroyo?s new job description made her a ?lapdog? of the Obama administration.
?Of course not. She?s working to improve Asean relations with the US,? he told reporters at the Carlton Hotel.
During Arroyo?s meeting with Obama at the White House last July, Obama referred to the Philippines as the ?coordinating country in the US relationship with Asean.?
That was trumpeted by Malacañang as among the gains of Arroyo?s meeting with Obama at the White House.
Manalo said the Asean-US meeting, which will take place hours after the closing ceremonies of the Apec summit, would signal Washington?s ?new approach? in its dealings with Asean, which includes Burma (Myanmar), whose human rights record has come under international criticisms.
Obama was expected to call for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under arrest by Burma?s military junta.
?(The meeting) would indicate at least that by meeting all 10 (Asean members), they?re meeting Myanmar,? he said. ?You can read whatever you wish to read into that.?
Manalo noted that the United States in the past also met with the Southeast Asian bloc but without members Burma, Cambodia and Laos.
?Now, I think, they want to engage Asean in a much broader front,? he said. ?This is the first time they?re going to meet all 10. Obviously, that will suggest a new approach.?
Manalo said Arroyo would be the fourth speaker in Sunday?s dialogue and ?go over? the contents of the US-Asean enhanced partnership program signed five years ago. He said it was expected to be renewed for another five years in 2010.
?The Philippines as coordinator for Asean will be representing Asean in initiating the preparation of this new revised enhanced partnership plan of action,? Manalo said. ?We expect that the (Apec) summit or leaders? meeting on Sunday will provide the political road map for our work for the next three years.?
The Philippines will hold the coordinator?s post until 2012.
Save for her remarks at the US-Asean dialogue, Arroyo is not scheduled to speak during the two-day Apec Leaders? Forum beginning Saturday.
The stage will instead belong to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of Thailand and President Nguyen Minh Triet of Vietnam.
The Thai leader will sit down with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia and President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa of Mexico for the summit leaders? dialogue at 9 a.m.
The Vietnamese leader will deliver a keynote address on the need to invest in the ?development of emerging markets.?
Apec leaders have had to revise their own engagements to accommodate Obama, who is not arriving until Saturday night.
