JAPAN: Stronger ties sought with Asian and Latin American nations

Record ID: 464029

  • Title: JAPAN: Stronger ties sought with Asian and Latin American nations
  • Date: 18th January 2010
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (JANUARY 17, 2010) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER KATSUYA OKADA (RIGHT) AND SECRETARY GENERAL OF CENTRAL AMERICAN INTEGRATION SYSTEM (SICA) JUAN DANIEL ALEMAN GURDIAN (LEFT) TAKING SEATS AT SIGNING CEREMONY AS DELEGATES FROM MEMBER COUNTRIES OF S.I.C.A. STAND BEHIND THEM VARIOUS OF OKADA SIGNING AGREEMENT ALEMAN SIGNING DELEGATES FROM MEMBER COUNTRIES OF S.I.C.A. WATCHING OKADA AND ALEMAN SHAKING HANDS AND EXCHANGING AGREEMENT DOCUMENTS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER KATSUYA OKADA SAYING: "Today is a new start for a stronger relationship between Japan and Central American countries as it officially became one of the observer countries of SICA." DELEGATES POSING FOR CAMERAS OKADA WAITING IN MEETING ROOM COLOMBIAN FOREIGN MINISTER JAIME BERMUDEZ WALKING INTO MEETING ROOM AND SHAKING HANDS WITH OKADA JAPANESE AND COLOMBIAN FLAGS DISPLAYED ON TABLE VARIOUS OF MEETING BETWEEN OKADA AND BERMUDEZ INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MARTY NATALEGAWA WALKING INTO MEETING ROOM AND SHAKING HANDS WITH OKADA JAPANESE AND INDONESIAN FLAGS DISPLAYED ON TABLE VARIOUS OF MEETING BETWEEN NATALEGAWA AND OKADA PHILIPPINE FOREIGN MINISTER ALBERTO ROMULO WALKING INTO MEETING ROOM AND SHAKING HANDS WITH OKADA VARIOUS OF MEETING BETWEEN ROMULO AND OKADA EXTERIOR OF HOTEL WHERE F.E.A.L.A.C. FORUM WAS HELD
  • Embargoed: 2nd February 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVA8JYARXOBLGHQBRDEDV928HIML
  • Story Text: Japan sought to strengthen ties with East Asian and Latin American countries on Sunday (January 17) by becoming an observer country for the Central American Integration System (SICA) and holding bilateral talks with Colombia, Indonesia, and the Philippines on the sidelines of the minister-level Forum for East Asia -Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) conference.
    Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada signed the agreement with SICA, an intergovernmental organization of eight Central American states, which aims to enhance democracy, political stability and economical development in the sub-region.
    "Today is a new start for a stronger relationship between Japan and Central American countries as it officially became one of the observer countries of SICA." Okada said.
    Japan is the 9th observer country along with others such as Brazil, Germany, Italy and China.
    Japan also held bilateral talks with Colombia, Indonesia and the Philippines on the sidelines of the FEALAC to discuss a range of issues to promote mutual cooperation and understanding.
    Top diplomats from 34 countries in East Asia and Latin America gathered in Tokyo from Saturday (January 16) for the two-day forum where they touched on everything from the financial crisis to global warming as well as how to respond to the Haitian earthquake.
    FEALAC was established in 1999 to promote cooperation in a variety of areas between Asia and Latin America, which in sum account for 40% of the world's population and over a fourth of the world economy.
    Organizers say bi-regional trade between East Asia and Latin America is growing almost twice as fast as the world average.
    Indonesia will host the 5th foreign ministerial meeting of FEALAC in 2013.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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