Ex-president: Aquino should meet Kiram

Former Philippines president has urged President Benigno Aquino III to meet with the self-proclaimed Sulu ‘Sultan’ Jamalul Kiram III to discuss how to end the standoff in Sabah.

Fidel V. Ramos, who was the Philippines President between 1992 and 1998, stressed that he has “never abandoned the Phillipine claim to Sabah” today.

“The two principals should meet one on one, just the two of them, face to face,” Ramos, 85, said in a press conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, according to a report in Philippine Daily Inquirer.

He also said that the National Security Council and a full Cabinet meeting should have been convened as soon as the crisis started.

Ramos also suggested that Aquino should secure a pledge from Kiram to be allowed to represent the sultanate in talks with Malaysia regarding the Sabah claim.

Aquino, he said, should vow to do a “good job” representing the sultanate.

Ramos added that Aquino should meet the Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to present what was agreed upon in such a meeting.

Ramos said that his administration did not give up the Sabah claim, saying :"We did not abandon the claim. But you must put it in the back burner because you must prioritize the issues you want to attend to. But that does not mean you put the loss of lives in the back burner.”

He said that if he were Aquino, he would tell Kiram to stop sending forces to Sabah to save them from death at the hands of Malaysian troops.

To Kiram and other claimants, Ramos said his message is: “[Sending forces there] is creating violence. The world is now different from what it was in the 19th century when the transfers of sovereignty, ownership and rights took place. Do you want the young people to experience war?”

“I think the message of the sultanate has been received by the world. What happened (violence) is enough,” he said.

However, he disagreed that the militants should be regarded as “terrorists” and charged criminally. He said that these should be talked about first in the dialogue.