3 neighbors vow more cooperation

South Korea, China and Japan will adopt a joint statement announcing their “comprehensive and future-oriented cooperation,” with clauses on economic and environmental cooperation, a possible free trade pact and how to deal with transnational criminal activities such as drug trafficking and terrorism, a South Korean official said.
The statement will be adopted in a summit meeting prior to the “ASEAN plus three” summit in Bali on Oct. 7. ASEAN is the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations; the annual “ASEAN plus three summit” is attended by the member countries plus South Korea, China and Japan.
This will be the first time the three nations adopt a joint statement announcing the results of their separate summit meeting since they began meeting in 1999 at the annual “ASEAN plus three” meetings.
“While China is very eager to complete a free trade pact among the three countries, the statement this time is likely to remain a mere declaration,” the South Korean official said.
Ban Ki-moon, the Blue House foreign policy adviser, said the statement will provide a guideline for comprehensive cooperation among the three countries.
According to Yoon Tai-young, the Blue House spokesman, President Roh Moo-hyun will convey at the trilateral summit meeting his position that the Korean government should play an active role promoting peace and prosperity in East Asia, and that cooperative projects outlined by the East Asia Study Group must be faithfully implemented.
The study group came into being after former president Kim Dae-jung proposed it in 2000.
Officials also say that President Roh is expected to emphasize that a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear standoff, along with South Korea’s policy of peace and prosperity, will contribute to peace in East Asia.

by Oh Young-hwan