Thaksin Jets Off To Korea For APEC Summit

[Jai Dee]

THAI PM VISITS KOREA TO ATTEND THE APEC SUMMIT

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has left for the Republic of Korea this afternoon to attend the 13th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting at Busan.

The premier would also deliver a speech at the meeting of Boao Forum for Asia which will be held in Shenzhen of China from November the 17th to 20th.

Prime Minister Thaksin together with Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak (สมคิด จาตุศรีพิทักษ์) and Deputy Government Spokeswoman Sansanee Nakpong (ศันสนีย์ นาคพงศ์) travelled on a special flight provided by the Royal Thai Air Force.

Prior to his departure, the Prime Minister said that he has assigned officers to overlook various matters, including the brutal murders which took place in NARATHIWAT (นราธิวาส) Province yesterday (November 16th).

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 17 November 2005

[Jai Dee]

PM GIVES THE IMPORTANCE TO ECONOMIC COOPERATION IN APEC SUMMIT 2005

Prime Minister THAKSIN SHINAWATRA and his entourage yesterday arrived in Busan, Korea, where he was scheduled to attend the 13th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

Today, the Prime Minister has an appointment with Mr. Vicente Fox Queseda, the President of Mexico, at 9.30 A.M. local time. He will then have a discussion with the leaders from seven ASEAN member countries and the United States of America. The member countries include Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam. During today’s meeting, the premier will give a speech under the theme of “Toward One Community: Meet the Challenge, Make the Change” at 12.00 P.M. local time. Later, he will have a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The 13th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting aims at multilateral cooperation for economic development. The multilateral cooperation also includes human security, anti-terrorism, and public health. As for Thailand, the kingdom is ready to be the leader on tackling Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and handling the bird flu pandemic. The meeting will also focus on oil price crisis. The members will discuss on using bio-fuel in the Asia-Pacific region.

Prime Minister THAKSIN hopes that Thailand can play a key role in multilateral trade and investment in this region as well.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 18 November 2005

[mijan24]

Whew apologies Jai Dee but I was doing some homework on my speed reading course and read Thakin Lets off in South Korea!

[Jai Dee]

Thakin Lets off in South Korea!

[Jai Dee]

APEC leaders agree to support Doha Round of free trade negotiations

PUSAN, Nov 19 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and other leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) have agreed to support a smooth conclusion of the World Trade Organization (WTO)'s Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations, to be held in Hong Kong next month.

The agreement was reached at the 13th APEC Summit, cordially called the 'Leaders' Retreat', held in the South Korean city of Pusan on Friday.

The leaders of the APEC's 21 member economies agreed that a joint communique on the agreement to back the Doha Round would be issued at the end of the summit, in addition to the Pusan Declaration, according to TNA

reporter who is covering the annual APEC forum.

This is to show a clear stance of the APEC grouping on forging a successful conclusion of the WTO's trade liberalization talks--a crucial regional attempt involving, among others, reductions of farm subsidies by

developed nations to eliminate world trade distortion.

The United States has announced that it is now ready to reduct its farm subsidies.

The APEC's developing economies are pushing for a similar goodwill gesture from the European Union (EU)--one of the world's largest trade blocs.

Progress of the previous Bogor Declaration, in which the APEC's developed members agreed to fully open their economies by 2010 and the developing ones by 2020, was also discussed at the 13th APEC summit, which emphasized on regional economic issues.

The APEC leaders also discussed the 'APEC Business Travel Card', which will facilitate business communications and contracts of the grouping's

traders and investors.

So far, 17 member economies have agreed on the 'APEC Business Travel Card' initiative, while the remaining four members have not yet agree.

At the regional leadership summit, the member economies also agreed on a proposal raised by Taiwan that community-based products of each member

economy, like Thailand's One Tambon, One Product (OTOP) goods, be promoted on the APEC's official website.

The agreed joint communique and the Pusan Declaration will be issued at the end of the three-day APEC summit on Saturday.

The APEC leaders later attended a dinner banquet, hosted by South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun and his wife.

Earlier Friday, the Thai premier held bilateral talks with US President George W. Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox, as well as business leaders and senior officials from the United States and the Association of

Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in which such major regional issues as terrorism and avian flu, as well as free trade cooperation were raised.

The Thai premier also delivered a keynote speech at the APEC Chief Executive Officers (CEO) Summit before attending the 13th APEC Summit.

The Thai leader met Russian President Vladimir Putin as well and jointly witnessed an agreement on oil and natural gas exploration between Thailand's PTT Public Company Limited (PTT) and Russia's Gazprom Company.

(TNA)--E002