Exiting Australian envoy praises APEC planning

In an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo Dec. 6, Colin Heseltine, Australia’s outgoing ambassador to South Korea, said that he carefully observed Korea’s successful hosting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
“It was very useful to prepare for the Sydney APEC summit in 2007.”
Mr. Heseltine left the country Dec. 10 to serve as deputy executive director of the APEC secretariat in Singapore, a position filled by an ambassador level representative of the incoming host country.
“The Australian government sent out a large delegation down to Busan during the APEC meeting. Things went very smoothly, and security was excellent,” he said.
During Mr. Heseltine’s term of four years and four months, exchange between Australia and South Korea improved in many areas including trade, tourism, and studying abroad programs. Australia has expanded its exports to Korea from agricultural products, energy and resources to finance and technology.
Asked about any regrets during his term, Mr. Heseltine answered without hesitation. “I had hoped to at least initiate a process to negotiate a free trade agreement between the two countries and Australia’s long-term exporting deal of LNG.”
Mr. Heseltine said that he thought Korean lifestyle was “very energetic.”
“Things always happen in a very active way. I was interested in watching the society under very rapid transition, economic growth and political transformation.”
During the final weekend in Korea, Mr.Heseltine went to National Museum of Korea with his wife to keep the beauty of Korea in his heart.

by Park Hyun-young