The Republic of Korea (RoK) and five nations in the Mekong region held
the first-ever ministerial meeting in Seoul on Oct. 28.
The meeting was co-chaired by RoK Foreign Minister (FM) Kim Sung-hwan
and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and FM Hor Namhong. The meeting also
saw the attendance of Vietnamese FM Pham Binh Minh, Lao Deputy PM and
FM Thonglouan Sisouthlith, Thai FM Surapong Tovichakchiakul and
Myanmar Deputy FM Myo Myint.
The meeting was
designed to set up a new cooperation mechanism between the RoK and the
Mekong region, focusing on economic cooperation and development,
political cooperation and the working mechanism of Mekong-RoK
cooperation.
Addressing the event, Vietnamese FM
Pham Binh Minh reiterated Vietnam ’s support for the Mekong-RoK
cooperation, expressing his belief that the new cooperation mechanism
would contribute to consolidating the fine relationship between the
nations.
He also affirmed that Vietnam will
take an active part and work closely with the member countries in
implementing activities within the Mekong-RoK cooperation framework.
The meeting endorsed the Han River Statement on the
establishment of the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between
Mekong countries and RoK for Common Wealth,” which set out future
cooperation visions and orientations for the concerned countries.
The ministers also agreed to give priority to three cooperative areas,
including ASEAN connectivity, sustainable development and development
for people.
They also agreed to organise the annual
Mekong-RoK ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Ministerial
Meeting and in the RoK every three years. The second Mekong-RoK
Ministerial Meeting will be held in Cambodia next year.
The same day, FM Pham Binh Minh and the heads of delegation paid a courtesy visit to RoK President Lee Myung-bak.
On the sidelines of the meeting, FM Minh also met with his RoK counterpart Kim Sung-hwan./.