외교부

-Closing remarks-

2006.11.12

 Dr. Hadi Soesastro, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentleman. Thank you and good afternoon.

First of all, please allow me a moment to offer my appreciation to Indonesia’s CSIS, Dr. Hadi Soesastro and its staffs that have worked so diligently to orchestrate this excellent event.

Today and Yesterday, we had extensive and in-depth discussions on such topics of regional overall environment, Korea-ASEAN cooperation and cooperation in East Asia.

Through this Forum, we could reconfirm the importance of Korea-ASEAN relations and identify problems and their solutions for more strengthened relations between Korea and ASEAN.

These discussions are all the more pertinent and carries special meaning, since there will be held the 10^th ASEAN-ROK Summit on December 12, in Cebu, the Republic of the Phillippines.

After I return to Korea, I will deliver the summary of the Forum to my colleagues in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for reference in their preparation for the ASEAN-ROK Summit.

For the institutionalization of this Forum, both sides have shown keen interest and strong support at the Forum itself and on the margins of the Forum. I will try to do my best to regularize this Forum.

But I believe the Forum should pursue a comprehensive strategic meeting format, where not just government officials and scholars, but also business leaders, journalists and cultural experts. Only that format can ensure more correct reflexion of diversified voices for the better Korea-ASEAN relations and minimization of possible duplication with other Track 1 meetings.

For more experts representing diversified areas to participate in the Forum, I understand that rooms for more efforts from both Korea and ASEAN exist.

Everybody here did a good job to make the forum a success.

I hope that we can meet at an another capital city of ASEAN countries next year.

Once again thank you, everybody here for your great job done at the Forum. Have a nice trip back to your country.