NEWS RELEASES
AXWORTHY TO ATTEND ASEAN MEETINGS IN BANGKOK
July 25, 2000 (4:30 p.m. EDT) No. 182
AXWORTHY TO ATTEND ASEAN MEETINGS IN BANGKOK
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced that he will attend the 7th
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) and the 33rd
ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) meetings taking place in Bangkok, Thailand,
on July 27 and 28.
"These meetings offer ASEAN members and dialogue partners an important opportunity
to enhance security and further development in the region," said Mr. Axworthy. "I will
also use the occasion to discuss bilateral concerns with a number of my Asian
counterparts and seek their attendance at the upcoming Conference on War-Affected
Children taking place in Winnipeg this September. "
Members of the ARF, the most comprehensive security forum in the Asia Pacific area,
will explore the theme "Security Implications of Globalization" at this year's meeting.
Participants will focus on regional security issues and global security challenges, such
as arms control, disarmament and transnational crime. The PMC, a forum to advance
the region's economic, social and cultural development, will also address transnational
crime -- in particular trafficking in narcotics -- as well as trade and investment, illegal
migration, the environment and human rights issues. Mr. Axworthy will also lead
discussions on the upcoming UN Millennium Summit.
Over the two days, Minister Axworthy is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with
Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Lee Joung-binn, New Zealand Foreign Minister
Phil Goff, Singapore Foreign Minister Shanmugam Jayakumar, the Foreign Minister of
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Paek Nam Sun, and Indonesian Foreign
Minister Alwi Shihab. Finally, he will also meet with King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Prime
Minister H.E. Chuan Leekpai of Thailand, as well as European Union Secretary-General
Javier Solana.
Canada has been an ASEAN dialogue partner since 1977, and Canadian foreign
ministers have participated in the ARF since it was established in 1993 as an informal
multilateral forum on regional security in Asia Pacific. The ARF is immediately followed
by the PMC, a forum for the ASEAN and its 10 dialogue partners to discuss
international and regional political and economic issues.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Debora Brown
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
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