Philippines President Gloria Arroyo has praised the strategic and deep political insight of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and highlighted his keenness to promote peace, security and stability not only in the Mideast but across the world. She emphasized that the initiatives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, in political, economic and cultural domains, have gained wide acceptance by the entire international community. King Abdullah, she noted, is enriched with a brave personality and a farsighted outlook in devising solutions to the crises of the region which can prevent the expansion of differences among followers of different religions and lead to the adoption of a policy of dialogue around the world. In an interview published Saturday in Okaz Arabic daily, President Arroyo considered the dialogue between the followers of religions put forward by the King as the best way to understand moderation advocated by all religions. The cultural dialogue, the president said, contributed to the convergence of views among the followers of religions and it was an opportunity to deepen communication, which would generate a suitable atmosphere to put aside confrontation and dissent. She noted the depth of relations between the Philippines and Saudi Arabia and described the bilateral ties as “excellent.” President Arroyo stressed the desire to enhance the Saudi-Filipino links to the strategic level of partnership in the political, economic, trade, investment and tourism fields. __
