ILOILO CITY, Philippines, September 22 (IslamOnline.net) - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set to hold a one-on-one meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad in New York, presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a radio interview Monday, September 22.

Bunye disclosed that the meeting would dwell on Malaysia’s offer to host the resumption of peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a group fighting to reclaim their “homeland” in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.

Arroyo and Mahathir may also talk about issues concerning peace, security and development in the Southeast Asian region, Bunye added. No specific date of the meeting has yet been mentioned.

Malaysia has volunteered to host - as a third-party country - the formal peace talks with the MILF. Through its mediation, the MILF and the Philippine government agreed to formally resume the peace talks next month.

While in New York, Arroyo is also expected to meet with the Foreign Ministers and Ambassadors from the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and discuss ways on how OIC member countries can help in the development of Mindanao, especially in the former conflict areas.

Mindanao is home to Filipino Muslims, a minority in the largely Christian nation. The island, the second largest in the archipelago, is claimed by the Bangsamoro people as their own independent nation, which was annexed by Spanish and American colonizers to the Philippine territory.

The primary purpose of the Arroyo’s New York visit on September 26 is to address the 58th session of the United Nations General Assembly where she is expected to push the country’s bid for a seat in the U.N. Security Council.

Bunye said that the U.N. Security Council seat is very important because it is one of the major organs of the U.N. that decides on most of the major world policies.

Over the prestige that goes with being a member of the Security Council, the Philippines will also be able to take part in the discussions and decision-making process of the world body, Bunye further said.

Bunye said that the Philippines has been angling for a seat in the Security Council for so long and now is the most opportune time to really go for it since a seat has been reserved for an Asian representative.

He expressed optimism on the chances of the Philippines landing a seat since Arroyo herself would be making a pitch for it before the U.N. General Assembly.

Arroyo also plans to call U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and meet with the members of the Filipino community in New Jersey.

From New York, the President goes to Rome, on September 27, for an audience with Pope John Paul II then Paris, on September 29, to address the 32nd general conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

It is Arroyo’s fourth visit to New York since she assumed office from the abridged administration of former President Estrada. In November 2001, Arroyo was among the heads of state who addressed U.N. General Assembly. She also visited the Ground Zero at the World Trade Center.

Meanwhile, speaker Jose de Venecia of the lower house of the Philippine Congress, announced Sunday, September 21, that Philippines will submit in the next few days a proposal to the U.N. General Assembly to create a special committee to "conceptualize the vision, mission and action program and set the timetable for the interfaith council."

He said it "has become a major objective of Philippine foreign policy" to propose an interfaith council as a regular organ of the United Nations after the Philippines first unveiled it in May to start off the reconciliation of civilizations.”

President Arroyo first unveiled the proposal for the creation of an interfaith council and a dialogue of civilizations during her state visit to Washington last May 2003.

During that visit, De Venecia, on the official party of the Philippine President, presented the proposal before U.S. President George W. Bush who warmly received the idea. Since then the proposal was endorsed by international councils.

“One of its earliest and keenest supporters is Iranian President Khatami,” De Venecia disclosed.

Among those that have endorsed it, De Venecia said, were 38 parliaments with the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP) during their 4th General Assembly last month in Manila, the Organization of Islamic Conference, and the African Union.

"While this idea may initially cause some consternation in the secularist world organization, we believe it is also an idea whose time has come," he said.

"I believe we must all learn and act in humility to create space for alternative faiths, for other faiths," De Venecia added and urged everyone to "open our ears, and then our minds and finally our hearts to each other."