Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura to Attend the Japan-ASEAN Foreign Ministerial Meeting and the Meeting of the Three-Party Committee of the People's Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK)

November 26, 2004

Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Foreign Minister, will visit Laos on November 27 (Sat) and 28 (Sun) to attend a Japan-ASEAN Foreign Ministerial Meeting, a Meeting of the Three-Party Committee of the People's Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, and other meetings.
On November 27 (Sat), Mr. Machimura will attend the Japan-ASEAN Foreign Ministerial Meeting and discuss the strengthening of Japan-ASEAN cooperative relations based on the Japan-ASEAN Commemorative Summit held in December last year. On the same day, Mr. Machimura will also review the development of cooperation between Japan, China and the ROK in the past year and exchange views on such issues as the modality of their future cooperation, regional cooperation in the East Asia region, and regional and international issues. He will also attend a Japan-CLV (Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam) working dinner to exchange views on the promotion of development in these new ASEAN members, the promotion of trade and investment, and other issues.
During his stay in Laos, Mr. Machimura will have bilateral foreign ministerial talks with Mr. Somsavat Lengsavat, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos, chair of the ASEAN, Mr. K. Natwar Singh, External Affairs Minister of India, Mr. Syed Hamid bin Jaafar Albar, Foreign Minister of Malaysia, and Mr. Surakiart Sathirathai, Foreign Minister of Thailand.

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