Philippine president says still studying U.S. proposal on Afghans' resettlement

MANILA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines continues to study the proposal of the United States to make the country a transit area for Afghan nationals being resettled in America and other regions, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos said on Thursday.

Marcos told reporters that neither side has reached a deal regarding the Afghans.

"We continue to study (the proposal). Let's see if there's a way we can do it without endangering the security of the Philippines," Marcos said, adding that it would be possible that both sides won't find a way to make it happen.

Marcos said discussions are underway on whether the Philippines can manage the processing of Afghans' visas. Manila wants to ensure the next step if "things start to go not as planned," he added.

Marcos said multiple issues, such as security and logistics, are under scrutiny.

Although the Philippines has a long tradition of taking in refugees, as it did during World War II, Marcos said the case of the Afghan nationals involved differences.

"These are not refugees. They are an entirely different class of (people). They are Afghan nationals being resettled by the United States in the United States and other places. We are only going to be a transition area," Marcos said.