Mr Downer Welcomes the Outcomes of Inaugural Fealac Meeting

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Media Release

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer

30 March 2001

Australia welcomes the successful conclusion of the inaugural Ministerial meeting of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) in Santiago, Chile on 29 and 30 March 2001.

The meeting added to the momentum of the new grouping as it lays the foundations of strengthened relations between East Asia and Latin America. It is clear that historically contacts between the regions have been inadequate, and that the development of the Forum is a natural response to the processes of globalisation.

FEALAC presents a key opportunity for Australia to strengthen constructive engagement in our region and also to further strengthen relations with Latin America. I also had a number of useful bilateral meetings with my counterparts from both regions.

Australia is looking forward to playing an active role in the Forum. We have agreed to co-chair with Costa Rica one of the three working groups established by the meeting in the important area of education/science and technology. The other two working groups will cover political/cultural and economic/social fields respectively.

We will continue to undertake a wide range of activities as part of our commitment to the development of the Forum. Our program of media visits from Latin America in conjunction with Singapore, will be ongoing. We have a program of seminars and publications on doing business in Latin America. We will also be initiating a young business executive exchange program, which will place young Australians in companies operating in Latin America. We have announced the establishment of a Council on Australia Latin America Relations. The Council will look for opportunities to include FEALAC projects in its future work program.

We look forward to the next Senior Officials meeting to be held next year in Cartagena, Colombia and the Ministerial meeting in the Philippines in 2003.

Santiago 30 March 2001