Estrada rejects Chirac 'interference' in
Philippines hostage rescue
MANILA, Sept 19 (AFP) -
Philippine President Joseph Estrada, buoyed by soaring domestic support for his risky
hostage rescue mission, on Tuesday brusquely rejected French criticism of the military
assault.
Estrada sent in the army
against Abu Sayyaf camps in the remote southern island of Jolo on Saturday to rescue 22
American, French, Malaysian and Filipino captives.
The United States and Malaysia
have expressed understanding but France has been critical.
Asked whether he had spoken to
French President Jacques Chirac to explain his decision, Estrada told reporters: "I
don't have to talk to him and he has no business interfering with our affairs."
Chirac had spoken of his
"concern and disagreement" with the decision and stressed that the lives of
French journalists Jean-Jacques Le Garrec and Roland Madura of state television France 2
were the "responsibility" of the Philippine government.
Estrada struck after months of
frustrating negotiations, during which the Abu Sayyaf would ransom off one batch of
captives while snatching new ones to perpetuate the crisis.
None of the hostages has been
found four days later amid government warnings that there were "no 100 percent
guarantees" that all would be rescued. But Filipinos across the political spectrum
urged the troops on.
"Of course, in any
operations you cannot be assured of perfect execution of any operation because the place
is too big," Estrada said, referring to the jungle-clad 897 square-kilometer (345
square-mile) island.
Philippine newspapers were in
jingoistic mood Tuesday, with the Malaya (Free) daily blasting "the gall of these
Gauls to tell us how to handle" the hostage crisis.
"The reactions voiced by
the French and German leadership have at least shown us they have no concern whatsoever
for the welfare and security of the Filipinos -- their selfish concern is exclusively for
their own 'white' nationals," Philippine Star publisher Max Soliven wrote.
"The murky aftermath
notwithstanding, the decision to take the rebels' main camp reversed President Estrada's
declining approval ratings," said Alex Magno, political science professor at the
University of the Philippines.
"The fact that this
operation was launched at all indicates that the political authority is prepared to accept
the costs."
French Foreign Minister Hubert
Vedrine said at a European Union foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday that the
group reiterated its plea to Filipino authorities that "any action they take should
not endanger the lives of the hostages."
US Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright told her Philippine counterpart Domingo Siazon on Monday that US officials
"understand that there are risks inherent in any operation like this," said
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Saturday it was the Philippines' prerogative to mount the
rescue but voiced concern about the safety of his country's three hostages.
Malaysian newspapers on Tuesday
hailed the assault.
Any government faced with such
a serious threat could not be seen to be "soft" because it would create bigger
problems in the future, Utusan Malaysia said.
Filipino military spokesmen
said a number of the hostages, including American tourist Jeffrey Schilling and
unspecified others, had been seen a number of times by pursuing troops.
Estrada insisted Tuesday that
"everything is going on smoothly" and said there will be no let-up.
"If they (Abu Sayyaf
gunmen) want to negotiate, let them free the hostages first. Then that's the time we can
talk," he added.
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