ID :
48511
Mon, 03/02/2009 - 17:43
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/48511
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S. Korean President Lee heads to New Zealand in 3-nation trip
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak left for New
Zealand on Monday for discussions on ways of overcoming the global economic
downturn and fighting growing protectionism in the international community
through joint efforts, including a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
The visit is part of Lee's three-nation trip that will also take him to Australia
and Indonesia later in the week.
Lee and New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key will hold their summit in Auckland
on Tuesday. Seoul and Wellington held two rounds of preliminary FTA negotiations
in 2007, and officials here believe the countries will be able to sign a deal
before the end of the year.
New Zealand and Australia both take up a large share in South Korea's bilateral
trade, with South Korea and New Zealand trading nearly US$1.9 billion a year and
trade between South Korea and Australia topping $20 billion in 2007.
Presidential office Cheong Wa Dae indicated Lee will broaden his diplomatic
activities to outside the four regional powers -- The United States, Japan,
Russia and Japan.
"This means the country will expand the scope of its diplomacy from Northeast
Asia to Southeast, Central, West Asia and South Pacific and expand its network of
cooperation with the regions to include other aspects, including security and
cultural issues," Lee Dong-kwan, a spokesman for the presidential office, told
reporters.
The spokesman also noted the president will announce his "new Asia initiative"
during his trip. This week's trip is his first overseas travel this year, also
the start of his second year in office.
"The trip will be the first step toward a new relationship with Asia," the
spokesman said.
President Lee will meet with South Korean and New Zealand business
representatives in Auckland during his two-day visit there, according to the
South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
He will leave Wednesday for Sydney where he will meet with the governor of New
South Wales, Marie Bashir, and visit a solar, renewable energy research center as
part of his campaign to promote low-carbon green growth.
Lee will arrive in Canberra Thursday for official talks with Australian Prime
Minister Kevin Rudd, at which the two leaders will announce the official start of
negotiations for a Korea-Australia FTA, according to Cheong Wa Dae officials.
His seven-day trip will end in Indonesia where he will seek to improve ties with
the populous Muslim country, as well as the other nine member nations of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
"He will ask Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to take part in the
special Korea-ASEAN summit slated for June, and also call for cooperation between
the countries in the G-20 summit in London in April," a Cheong Wa Dae official
said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak left for New
Zealand on Monday for discussions on ways of overcoming the global economic
downturn and fighting growing protectionism in the international community
through joint efforts, including a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
The visit is part of Lee's three-nation trip that will also take him to Australia
and Indonesia later in the week.
Lee and New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key will hold their summit in Auckland
on Tuesday. Seoul and Wellington held two rounds of preliminary FTA negotiations
in 2007, and officials here believe the countries will be able to sign a deal
before the end of the year.
New Zealand and Australia both take up a large share in South Korea's bilateral
trade, with South Korea and New Zealand trading nearly US$1.9 billion a year and
trade between South Korea and Australia topping $20 billion in 2007.
Presidential office Cheong Wa Dae indicated Lee will broaden his diplomatic
activities to outside the four regional powers -- The United States, Japan,
Russia and Japan.
"This means the country will expand the scope of its diplomacy from Northeast
Asia to Southeast, Central, West Asia and South Pacific and expand its network of
cooperation with the regions to include other aspects, including security and
cultural issues," Lee Dong-kwan, a spokesman for the presidential office, told
reporters.
The spokesman also noted the president will announce his "new Asia initiative"
during his trip. This week's trip is his first overseas travel this year, also
the start of his second year in office.
"The trip will be the first step toward a new relationship with Asia," the
spokesman said.
President Lee will meet with South Korean and New Zealand business
representatives in Auckland during his two-day visit there, according to the
South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
He will leave Wednesday for Sydney where he will meet with the governor of New
South Wales, Marie Bashir, and visit a solar, renewable energy research center as
part of his campaign to promote low-carbon green growth.
Lee will arrive in Canberra Thursday for official talks with Australian Prime
Minister Kevin Rudd, at which the two leaders will announce the official start of
negotiations for a Korea-Australia FTA, according to Cheong Wa Dae officials.
His seven-day trip will end in Indonesia where he will seek to improve ties with
the populous Muslim country, as well as the other nine member nations of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
"He will ask Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to take part in the
special Korea-ASEAN summit slated for June, and also call for cooperation between
the countries in the G-20 summit in London in April," a Cheong Wa Dae official
said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
