Duterte rejects EU invitation for 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM12) in Brussels

Early last week the European Union Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen told the media that a formal invitation has already been sent to Malacañang inviting President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to attend the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM12) in Brussels, Belgium in October of this year.

At the time, the President is in India attending the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi, along with the other leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), so everybody had to wait for the President to come back to the country to hear his answer if his willing to go to Brussels, Belgium.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, when pressed by the media if he thinks the President will proceed with the EU trip gave this answer: “There was an invitation but the guidelines will be… we need to be very clear on what benefits the Philippines will get from such a visit. It must not be too expensive,” and “Pursuant to those guidelines, the President will make a decision.”  *

President Duterte (photo credit to owner)

In his return the President gave his clear answer regarding the European Union invitation and the answer is a big NO.

It has been of public knowledge that in his public speeches he has thrown a lot of expletives and has time and again lambasted the European Union ( EU) for unfair and unreasonable criticisms as against the implementation of Duterte’s  war on drug campaign.

“Well, I just don’t like their attitude. That’s all,” the President said.

 “So why would I go there to discuss a matter which I hate to talk about in front of them,” President Duterte said during the press conference of  upon arriving from India.

He also said that the trip to Europe would be an expensive one for the government.

The European Union, an influential bloc of 28 European countries, wants to “impose their own values, ethos, policy.”

“You have always been imperialists ever since,” he said.

European Union Ambassador Franz Jessen to the Philippines last week told the media people that he hopes that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte would visit Europe to be part of the Asia-Europe meeting in October, which could be the avenue where he can have a “more positive understanding of the European Union.”   *

The President in the same press conference told the media that his administration would not accept any aid from the European Union if it came with conditions, this is in relation to the Philippines rejecting the P383 million aid from EU.

“I will not allow the government to be beholden to anyone except to the people,” he said of his rejection of P383 million in EU aid.

Report from PDI