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Section IV.  U.S. Government Policy

Senior U.S. government officials and members of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom raised the issue of religious freedom with government officials on numerous occasions during the period covered by this report.  U.S. government officials met with senior government officials to confirm the Government's commitment to permit private non-Muslim worship and to discuss other concerns related to religious freedom.  In September 2000, U.S. Embassy officers met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) officials to deliver and discuss the U.S. Government's 2000 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom and to protest the detention of Filipino worshippers arrested in December 2000.  In addition, Embassy officers met with MFA officials at various other times during the year on matters pertaining to religious freedom.