Philippines seeks UN protection for peacekeepers
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MANILA (AFP) - The Philippines has asked the United Nations to provide more protection to its peacekeeping forces, Manila said on Wednesday after announcing that its troops would remain in the Golan Heights after a recent abduction.
The foreign department said the Philippines' permanent representative to the United Nations wrote to the UN Security Council to express Manila's "grave concern" over the March 6-9 detention of 21 Filipino UN peacekeepers.
The Philippines' UN representative, Mr Libran Cabactulan, also urged the council to exert its influence on all parties in the Syrian conflict to ensure the peacekeepers' freedom of movement, a foreign department statement said.
"The members of the Council ... wield considerable influence over the parties in the region. Our communication to the Security Council is meant to highlight this vital role of the Security Council," Mr Cabactulan added.
