Press Release No. 135-03
3 April 2003


PHILIPPINES TO HOST 7TH ASEAN-REPUBLIC OF KOREA DIALOGUE

The Office of ASEAN Affairs of the Department of Forerign Affairs (DFA) will be hosting the 7th ASEAN-Republic of Korea (ROK) Dialogue to be held at Shangri-La Hotel, Makati City on 8-9 April 2003.

The Dialogue will be attended by delegates from the ten ASEAN member countries and ROK, and will be co-chaired by Lauro L. Baja, Jr., Undersecretary for Policy of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and LeeTae-shik, Deputy Minister of the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Meeting will review ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations and recent regional and international developments as well as political and security issues. The Meeting will also discuss and explore ways of facilitating development cooperation as well as enhancing trade, investment and tourism between ASEAN and ROK.

This year marks the last year of the Philippines’ country coordinatorship for ASEAN-ROK relations. The Philippines will be the coordinator for ASEAN-New Zealand relations beginning July 2003.

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