Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano FILE PHOTO / MALACANANG
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said Tuesday that Kuwait’s call for calm despite their “serious stance” on the issue with the Philippines over the treatment of domestic workers will allow both countries to “move forward.”
“This gesture on the part of Kuwait, a country with which we have shared history and strong people-to-people ties, will allow us to move forward and hurdle the challenges we face,” he said in a statement.
Kuwait Deputy Foreign Secretary Minister Nasser al-Subaih said they “do not believe in escalation and want to remain in direct communication to resolve the problem.”
Kuwait expelled Manila’s ambassador over viral videos of Philippine embassy staff assisting workers in Kuwait to escape their employers.
READ: Kuwait gives PH envoy one week to leave amid dispute
“We acknowledge with heartfelt thanks the assurances of Kuwait to work with us in protecting the rights and promoting the welfare of Filipinos working there,” Cayetano said.
The country’s top diplomat said that the “shared goal” of both countries be pursued with willingness to understand and respect where each side is coming from.
Cayetano said he believed that the friendship of both countries “will withstand this misunderstanding.”