FMs of East Asia, Latin America Meet in Chile

Foreign Ministers and high- ranking officials from 30 East Asian and Latin American countries opened in Santiago on Thursday the first foreign ministers' meeting of the East Asia-Latin America Forum (EALAF).

Addressing the opening rite of the two-day meeting, Chilean Foreign Minister Maria Soledad Alvear said the forum constructed a bridge between Latin America and East Asia.

She emphasized that the mechanism will enhance mutual understanding and cultural exchange between Latin America and East Asia, and create an opportunity for holding political dialogue " more flexibly, freely and directly."

She also said that the two regions should seek in every aspect common positions in other international forums.

Singapore Foreign Minister Shunmugan Jayakumar said the major obstacles between the two regions were geographic and psychological distance and lack of direct contacts, adding that EALAF created a dialogue space without precedent.

"This ministerial meeting marked a new phase in the elaboration of ties between East Asia and Latin America," he said.

At Thursday's meeting, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Cuba became new members of the forum.

The forum was established in 1998 during Singapore Primer Minister Goh Chok Tong's visit to Chile, which was aimed at promoting mutual understanding and strengthening ties and cooperation in political, cultural and trade areas.

Currently, the forum has 30 members, 15 each from Latin America and East Asia, including China.

Two senior officials' meetings had been held in Singapore in 1999 and in Chile last year respectively.

(Xinhua 03/30/2001)