S. Korean vice FM to attend meetings on human rights, Gaza

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Shin Kak-soo plans to attend a series of high-profile international meetings early next month on behalf of his boss Yu Myung-hwan, as the minister has to accompany President Lee Myung-bak's regional tour, informed sources said Friday.

Yu originally planned to attend a conference of international donors in Cairo
March 2 to help rebuild the Gaza Strip and the senior officials' meeting of the
Human Rights Council to be held in Geneva from March 3-4.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has decided to attend the Cairo meeting,
according to Egypt.
"Foreign Minister Yu wanted to attend the meetings but he has to accompany
President Lee's upcoming trip," a source said.
Lee is scheduled to visit Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand from March 2-8,
added the source.
Separately, the president is pushing for a summit with his American counterpart
Barack Obama in Washington in May, the source said.
Lee and Obama will have an opportunity for their first encounter on the sidelines
of the G-20 financial summit in London on April 2, but South Korean officials
said it is not decided yet whether Lee and Obama will hold formal talks or a
casual meeting there.
A senior Seoul official currently visiting the U.S. said the government hopes to
arrange a bilateral summit in Washington soon after the G-20 conference.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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