Korean President Lee Myung-bak had bilateral meetings yesterday with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, left, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, center, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Saturday and yesterday ahead of the Asean-Korea Commemorative Summit, which starts today in Jeju. [YONHAP]President hopes to increase political, economic ties with Asean members in bid to enhance Korea’s role in region
June 01, 2009
JoongAng Daily (S. Korea)
SEOGWIPO, Jeju - On the eve of a special summit of leaders from Korea and Southeast Asia, President Lee Myung-bak promoted his “New Asia Initiative” through a series of bilateral summits.
Lee arrived on this southern resort island yesterday morning for the commemorative summit to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the dialogue relationship between Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Leaders of the organization’s 10 member nations - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - will attend the two-day summit, which starts today.
Most of the summit will focus on discussing climate change, energy security and cooperative measures to counter the global financial crisis. Leaders also are expected to express concerns about the escalated threats posed by North Korea, including its recent nuclear test.
The summit is seen as a key opportunity for the Lee administration to further progress its New Asia Initiative.
Announced in March this year following successful visits to Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia, the diplomatic campaign seeks to upgrade Korea’s role as a power player in Asia by engaging the region and attempting to create stronger ties. The initiative also represents a shift in Korea’s foreign policy focus from the global superpowers of the United States, Japan and China to regional neighbors.
Lee met with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of Thailand yesterday afternoon, expressing his hope that Korean companies will participate in government-led infrastructure projects in the country. Additionally, Lee and Vejjajiva welcomed the upcoming signing of an investment accord between Korea and Asean. The accord, to be signed at a ceremony tomorrow, will remove the investment barriers between the two sides and is part of a larger bilateral free trade agreement.
The two leaders expressed concerns about North Korea’s latest nuclear test, calling it a step backward for global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. The Thai leader said he will discuss the issue at the upcoming Asean Regional Forum.
During the evening, Lee and Asean leaders attended a performance by the Korea-Asean Traditional Orchestra.
Lee’s presidential diplomacy to engage South Asian leaders began before he even left for Jeju. The president held bilateral meetings in Seoul on Saturday with leaders of the Philippines and Vietnam.
Lee and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo agreed to expand economic and trade cooperation, according to the Blue House. At the same time, the two leaders agreed to look collaborate on finding and nurturing engines of sustainable growth in the 21st century.
Lee requested that Arroyo improve the foreign investment climate to allow Korean companies’ continuous investment in the Philippines, and the foreign leader replied positively, the Blue House said.
Arroyo also expressed appreciation for Korea’s support to develop the Philippines’ agricultural industry. A series of agreements on agriculture, labor and power generation were signed following the summit.
On Saturday, Lee met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and discussed pending issues between the two nations.
The leaders pledged to use diplomatic efforts to urge the North’s return to the stalled six-nation nuclear disarmament talks, criticizing Pyongyang for harming the peace and stability in the region and the world with the recent nuclear test.
Lee also expressed his wish that Korean companies had more opportunities to participate in construction projects in Vietnam, and Dung promised active cooperation. The Vietnamese leader thanked Korea’s economic development cooperation and Lee promised continuous supports, the Blue House said.
By Ser Myo-ja [myoja@joongang.co.kr]
June 01, 2009
JoongAng Daily (S. Korea)
SEOGWIPO, Jeju - On the eve of a special summit of leaders from Korea and Southeast Asia, President Lee Myung-bak promoted his “New Asia Initiative” through a series of bilateral summits.
Lee arrived on this southern resort island yesterday morning for the commemorative summit to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the dialogue relationship between Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Leaders of the organization’s 10 member nations - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - will attend the two-day summit, which starts today.
Most of the summit will focus on discussing climate change, energy security and cooperative measures to counter the global financial crisis. Leaders also are expected to express concerns about the escalated threats posed by North Korea, including its recent nuclear test.
The summit is seen as a key opportunity for the Lee administration to further progress its New Asia Initiative.
Announced in March this year following successful visits to Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia, the diplomatic campaign seeks to upgrade Korea’s role as a power player in Asia by engaging the region and attempting to create stronger ties. The initiative also represents a shift in Korea’s foreign policy focus from the global superpowers of the United States, Japan and China to regional neighbors.
Lee met with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of Thailand yesterday afternoon, expressing his hope that Korean companies will participate in government-led infrastructure projects in the country. Additionally, Lee and Vejjajiva welcomed the upcoming signing of an investment accord between Korea and Asean. The accord, to be signed at a ceremony tomorrow, will remove the investment barriers between the two sides and is part of a larger bilateral free trade agreement.
The two leaders expressed concerns about North Korea’s latest nuclear test, calling it a step backward for global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. The Thai leader said he will discuss the issue at the upcoming Asean Regional Forum.
During the evening, Lee and Asean leaders attended a performance by the Korea-Asean Traditional Orchestra.
Lee’s presidential diplomacy to engage South Asian leaders began before he even left for Jeju. The president held bilateral meetings in Seoul on Saturday with leaders of the Philippines and Vietnam.
Lee and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo agreed to expand economic and trade cooperation, according to the Blue House. At the same time, the two leaders agreed to look collaborate on finding and nurturing engines of sustainable growth in the 21st century.
Lee requested that Arroyo improve the foreign investment climate to allow Korean companies’ continuous investment in the Philippines, and the foreign leader replied positively, the Blue House said.
Arroyo also expressed appreciation for Korea’s support to develop the Philippines’ agricultural industry. A series of agreements on agriculture, labor and power generation were signed following the summit.
On Saturday, Lee met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and discussed pending issues between the two nations.
The leaders pledged to use diplomatic efforts to urge the North’s return to the stalled six-nation nuclear disarmament talks, criticizing Pyongyang for harming the peace and stability in the region and the world with the recent nuclear test.
Lee also expressed his wish that Korean companies had more opportunities to participate in construction projects in Vietnam, and Dung promised active cooperation. The Vietnamese leader thanked Korea’s economic development cooperation and Lee promised continuous supports, the Blue House said.
By Ser Myo-ja [myoja@joongang.co.kr]
3 comments:
Those fucken Southeast Asean Nations, they always taking side with other country, they don't care about the poor and weak country like cambodia at all...
Vietnamese Gov'ts will seeks revenge against Thailand that had killed their people who came by boats as refugees, Vietnamese will compete and defeate Thailand, by joints cambodia, lao, Myanmar to crushs Thailand!
Cambodia and Indonesia should joints hand together, because they both came from the same blood...
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