(Eagle News) – The Philippine government called on the international community to “reaffirm by more than words its commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes” amid the increasing tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
In a statement on the Ukraine situation issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday, February 25, the DFA recalled the United Nations’ General Assembly’s adoption of the Manila Declaration of the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes.
The DFA said that this “provides the legal framework for recourse to diplomacy, dialogue and rule of law.”
“In the present crisis, where the situation is not irreversible and there is no compelling reason for any of the protagonists to resort to hostile actions, turning to the Manila Declaration is the pragmatic and decent way to go,” the department’s statement said.
“We urge all parties to exert every effort to stick to diplomatic and peaceful means to maintain international peace and security and avert a humanitarian crisis,” it said.
“The Philippines calls on the international community to reaffirm by more than words its commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes.”
‼️READ‼️#DFAStatement on Ukraine: PH Calls on International Community to Reaffirm its Commitment to the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes
Also found in this link 👉🏻 https://t.co/RtPLK32d8M#DFAForgingAhead pic.twitter.com/oT5XKkUbY9
— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) February 25, 2022
-Possibility of negotiations raised-
The statement came as Moscow was reportedly willing to negotiate with Kiev, according to a report by RT, a Russian-state controlled international television network.
Citing a statement from Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, it said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would determine the timing of the negotiations.
Peskov said that Russia would only engage “if the leadership of Ukraine is ready to talk about it.”
“The president formulated his vision of what we would expect from Ukraine in order for the so-called ‘red-line’ problems to be resolved. This is neutral status, and this is a refusal to deploy weapons,” RT cited Peskov as saying.
“The operation has its goals – they must be achieved. The president said that all decisions have been made, and the goals will be achieved,” the alleged statement from Peskov read.
-Russian forces press further into Ukraine-
But Russian forces further pressed inside Ukraine on Friday, a day after President Putin announced the start of ‘special operations’ on Ukraine, according to an Agence France Presse report.
Explosions and gunfire erupted in a northern district of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday, according to an AFP reporter on the ground heard, as invading Russian forces closed in.
Pedestrians ran for safety and small arms fire and explosions were heard in the Obolonsky area. The larger blasts could be heard as far away as the city centre.
Russian forces first arrived on the outskirts of Kyiv on Thursday when helicopter-borne troops assaulted an airfield just outside the city, close to Obolonsky.
The Philippine government has started repatriating Filipinos living in Ukraine. There are 181 Filipinos in Ukraine, mostly living in the capital Kyiv.
Six Filipinos have already been repatriated on February 18. Four more aare scheduled to arrive on Friday, February 25.
On Friday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he would travel to the Ukrainian border to personally oversee the repatriation of Filipinos amid Russia’s attack.
The DFA said it had already accounted for the 181 Filipinos in Ukraine and would continue its repatriation efforts.
(Eagle News Service with a report from Agence France Presse)
