ID :
54980
Mon, 04/13/2009 - 07:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/54980
The shortlink copeid
S. Korean president heads home ahead of schedule
PATTAYA, Thailand, April 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak cut short his schedule and headed home Saturday after Thai hosts indefinitely postponed a scheduled summit of Asian leaders due to political unrest here.
Lee originally had planned to stay in Thailand until Sunday for the annual summit
of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus South Korea,
Japan and China.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency in Pattaya,
the meeting site, and its surrounding area in response to a chaotic situation
created by anti-government protests.
"The Thai prime minister said he has delegated all his responsibilities to his
deputy prime minister and that he will place utmost importance on the safe and
quick return of visiting heads of state," a South Korean official accompanying
the president told reporters.
"Conditions are worsening faster than we thought," the official earlier said,
commenting on Lee's plan to cut short his itinerary.
Thousands of anti-government protesters barged into the meeting site, forcing the
Thai government to indefinitely postpone the summit.
Lee arrived here Friday on a three-day trip, during which he was also scheduled
to take part in the annual regional forum, East Asia Summit, also known as ASEAN
Plus Six Summit as it includes India, Australia and New Zealand.
At the ASEAN summit, the leaders were expected to explore ways to jointly fight
the global economic and financial crisis and reaffirm their commitment to free
trade, according to officials.
Lee and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, in a bilateral meeting earlier
Saturday, expressed concerns over the delay of the ASEAN summit, noting that
Saturday's summit, if held, could have significantly helped boost regional
cooperation in the face of the global economic crisis.
Lee's decision to cut short his schedule came during a three-way meeting with
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and the Chinese premier, South Korean officials
said. The meeting, originally scheduled for Sunday, was moved up by one day.
It was not immediately known whether the Japanese and Chinese leaders were also
changing their schedules.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
Lee originally had planned to stay in Thailand until Sunday for the annual summit
of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus South Korea,
Japan and China.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency in Pattaya,
the meeting site, and its surrounding area in response to a chaotic situation
created by anti-government protests.
"The Thai prime minister said he has delegated all his responsibilities to his
deputy prime minister and that he will place utmost importance on the safe and
quick return of visiting heads of state," a South Korean official accompanying
the president told reporters.
"Conditions are worsening faster than we thought," the official earlier said,
commenting on Lee's plan to cut short his itinerary.
Thousands of anti-government protesters barged into the meeting site, forcing the
Thai government to indefinitely postpone the summit.
Lee arrived here Friday on a three-day trip, during which he was also scheduled
to take part in the annual regional forum, East Asia Summit, also known as ASEAN
Plus Six Summit as it includes India, Australia and New Zealand.
At the ASEAN summit, the leaders were expected to explore ways to jointly fight
the global economic and financial crisis and reaffirm their commitment to free
trade, according to officials.
Lee and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, in a bilateral meeting earlier
Saturday, expressed concerns over the delay of the ASEAN summit, noting that
Saturday's summit, if held, could have significantly helped boost regional
cooperation in the face of the global economic crisis.
Lee's decision to cut short his schedule came during a three-way meeting with
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and the Chinese premier, South Korean officials
said. The meeting, originally scheduled for Sunday, was moved up by one day.
It was not immediately known whether the Japanese and Chinese leaders were also
changing their schedules.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
