(Note from MindaNews: This is the official transcript of President Rodrigo Duterte’s speech, released by the Presidential News Desk of the Presidential Communications Office)
Presidential Communications Office
Presidential News Desk
REMARKS
OF
PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
AND
KOREAN PRESIDENT MOON JAE-IN
DURING THE 19TH ASEAN-REPUBLIC OF KOREA SUMMIT
[Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Pasay City | 13 November 2017]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: [Are we all set?]
We will start this meeting this afternoon with my statement.
Let us start by welcoming President Moon Jae-in to the Philippines and our Asian neighborhood.
The tone of the Summit has been set back in May when President Moon took office and signaled the ASEAN’s place in his foreign policy by dispatching forthwith a special envoy to the ASEAN.
The ASEAN-ROK ties have grown over the past 28 years with our dialogue relations elevated to the strategic partners for peace and prosperity.
The ASEAN political security engagement with the Republic of Korea remains strong to the Plus One Summit and the Ministerial Meeting.
This ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum and the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus, among others led- mechanisms.
The latest statistics shows a robust ASEAN [inaudible] North Korea trade and investment and tourism — socio-cultural cooperation between us continue to grow.
We will have a better sense of how far our strategic partnership has advanced in the course of this Summit mindful of our limited time.
I would like to invite His Excellency Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea to take the floor for his opening remarks.
KOREAN PRESIDENT MOON JAE –IN: President Duterte of the Philippines, [inaudible], Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia, the country coordinator for the ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations, thank you very much.
On behalf of the Korean government and their people, I pay tribute to the magnificent achievements made by ASEAN during the past five decades.
ASEAN has steadily progressed the integration into major complex global circumstances and has elevated position in the international community.
The Korean government supports the efforts to realize the ASEAN Community. It also wishes to play its role as a key partner in all fields of politics, economy and society.
I’m determined to bring Korea and ASEAN relations to a new height.
To this end, I dispatched an envoy to the ASEAN countries right after the inauguration of my government and I was the first Korean President to do so.
As ASEAN and Korea both entering an era of new leaps and development, I believe it is the most appropriate time to upscale the level of bilateral cooperation.
I’m confident that enhanced cooperation and brethren depth will bring about new benefits and [inaudible] of prosperity to both sides.
Today, I would like to introduce that the initiative for Korea-ASEAN community connected future as a blueprint for mutual prosperity for both sides.
This initiative has aided the peace-loving, people-centered community where all members are better off together.
Such community will bring together the vision of ASEAN community and the Korean government [inaudible] the philosophy to achieve common prosperity through collaboration.
Plans on the way to hold another Commemorative Summit in 2019 to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations. Thus, creating a new milestone in our relationship.
I’ll listen attentively to the views to be expressed by the ASEAN leaders.
I look forward to seeing this meeting as the beginning of a bigger future for Korea-ASEAN relations.
Thank you very much.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Thank you, Your Excellency for your affirming messages.
And now we go to one of the most important agenda in this meeting is for me to respectfully, most respectfully request the media to disappear. [laughter]
— END —
