Foreign Leaders Praise Thailand At ASEM Conference

[Jai Dee]

Foreign leaders praise Thailand at 6th ASEM Conference

At the 6th ASEM Conference, world leaders have praised Thailand for the measures in dealing with avian influenza and AIDS. As for the support for Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai to be the next United Nations Secretary-General, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said there is still hope.

The 6th conference between country members of Asia and Europe is being held in Finland. The 1st day of the meeting commenced yesterday, and Prime Minister Thaksin said this would be a good opportunity to meet with leaders from foreign countries. He said a number of issues have been discussed, and he has asked for world leaders to support Dr. Surakiart to become the next UN Secretary-General. He said the chances are 50/50.

According to the Prime Minister, the main topics of discussion include terrorism, threats on national security, as well as bird flu and AIDS epidemic. He said the World Health Organization has also given positive praises to Thailand on these matters. He said many meeting members are also interested in discussing these topics.

Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin also talked about the bilateral cooperation between Thailand and other countries. He said Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico had a talk with him on automotive and tourism industries. Meanwhile, Estonian premier Andrus Ansip discussed IT and tourism cooperation with the Thai Prime Minister as well.

Both countries’ foreign affairs ministries will sign two agreements on the cooperation of culture and education in the near future.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 11 September 2006

[LaoPo]

Foreign leaders praise Thailand at 6th ASEM Conference

At the 6th ASEM Conference,

1. world leaders have praised Thailand

for the measures in dealing with avian influenza and AIDS. As for the support for Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai to be the next United Nations Secretary-General,

2. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said there is still hope.

The 6th conference between country members of Asia and Europe is being held in Finland. The 1st day of the meeting commenced yesterday, and Prime Minister Thaksin said this would be a good opportunity to meet with leaders from foreign countries. He said a number of issues have been discussed, and

3. he has asked for world leaders to support Dr. Surakiart to become the next UN Secretary-General. He said the chances are 50/50.

According to the Prime Minister, the main topics of discussion include terrorism, threats on national security, as well as bird flu and AIDS epidemic. He said the World Health Organization has also given positive praises to Thailand on these matters. He said many meeting members are also interested in discussing these topics.

4. Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin also talked about the bilateral cooperation between Thailand and other countries. He said

5. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico had a talk with him on automotive and tourism industries. Meanwhile,

6.Estonian premier Andrus Ansip discussed IT and tourism cooperation with the Thai Prime Minister as well.

Both countries’ foreign affairs ministries will sign two agreements on the cooperation of culture and education in the near future.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 11 September 2006

1. Which world leaders?

2+4. Now, I am curious HOW the 'World leaders' see him: Prime Minister/Care-taker PM or Pol.Lt.Col...

3. Which World Leaders are supporting Dr. Surakiart? and how are the 50/50 chances devided and who is the other 50%?

5+6 Yes, Slovakia and Estonia are truly 'WORLD' countries

LaoPo

[sriracha john]

In other news coming out from the ASEM Conference:

Thai PM says Surakiart has chance to win UN top post

BANGKOK, Sept. 11 -- Thailand's caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Monday there is a possibility that Thai caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai will be nominated to be the next Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN).

Thaksin made the remarks after his meeting with leaders of other countries at the two-day summit of the sixth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in the Finnish capital of Helsinki, the official Tai News Agency reported.

Speaking of his lobbying for support for Surakiart's bid to become the UN Secretary-General, Thaksin said he had talked to leaders of France and the United Kingdom, two of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Surakiart's chance of being nominated for the position are about fifty-fifty, he said.

Earlier, Thai local media had reported that most of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are supporting Surakiart, who will contest for the UN Secretary-General post as incumbent UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's term will end at the end of this year.

Surakiart's candidacy has been endorsed by the 10-member ASEAN, and the 48-year-old Thai deputy premier has been campaigning for the UN top post since 2004.

During an ASEAN meeting two months ago, Surakiart dubbed his campaign as "a listening tour", where he traversed the globe to listen to people's views.

"I've traveled to all the regions in the world, to many countries, and attended conferences so that people can come and talk to me, expressing their views and priorities and concern of the United Nations, especially the UN reform," Surakiart said.

- Xinhua

[Tony Clifton]

50/50? I think his chances are actually lower than me finding the world's largest gold nugget ever next time we have the septic tank sucked dry.

[sriracha john]

50/50? I think his chances are actually lower than me finding the world's largest gold nugget ever next time we have the septic tank sucked dry.

You're more likely to find Him at the bottom of your septic tank instead of the gold nugget...