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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, July 30, 2002

Philippines' New Foreign Secretary Sworn In

Former Philippine Senator Blas Opletook his oath at the presidential palace as foreign affairs secretary in front of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday.


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Former Philippine Senator Blas Opletook his oath at the presidential palace as foreign affairs secretary in front of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday.

Ople, who resigned from the Senate Monday, told reporters that he will pursue Arroyo's foreign policies, but he did not elaborate.

He said he hopes to become the "bridge" between the Arroyo administration and the political opposition. Earlier reports quoted him as saying that he will seek to form closer ties between the Philippines and the United States based on mutual respect for sovereignty, common security and shared values of democracy and freedom.

Ople, a two-term senator who has expressed moderate nationalist sentiments throughout his public career, said he does not need to apologize for being a good friend of the United States, stressing that being one will never make him anti-Filipino, the Philippine Star reported Saturday.

Before his resignation from the Senate, Ople served as chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations

As the replacement of Vice President Teofisto Guingona who used to be chief of foreign affairs on a concurrent capacity, Ople said he would insist on participating in the formulation of foreign policies.

Guingona was eased out of Arroyo's cabinet over the his policy difference with the president over issues related to the US military presence in the country.


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