PH remains deeply concerned over Crimea crisis

DFA spokesman Charles Jose. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine government remains deeply concern and is hopeful that a diplomatic solution is still possible in Crimea despite Russia’s annexation of the peninsula in the southern region of Ukraine, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

“We advocate a peaceful and diplomatic resolution. We support actions of de-escalation of tension between Ukraine and Russia,” Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Charles Jose said in a press briefing.

Jose said there are 198 Filipinos in Ukraine but none in Crimea.

“We have a team from DFA that met with some Filipinos there. They are out of harm,” he said.

The DFA has raised alert level 2 in Ukraine, banning new deployment of Filipino workers there while tension has not fully de-escalated.

He said the territorial row between Ukraine and Russia is important to the Philippines because the government is “advocating same principle on territorial disputes.”

“We are also advocating peaceful resolutions on territorial disputes. We have the same advocacy,” he said, referring to the Philippines’ seething dispute  with China over the potentially resource-rich West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

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