mseap

    Speaker Park Byeong-seug spoke on the phone with Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin of Russian State Duma on December 28th, 2020. During the phone call, both Speakers talked about bilateral service and investment FTA and Korea-Russia high-level talks, and extended invitation for official visit.   Speaker Park and Chairman Volodin agreed that the FTA negotiation is an important subject that needs to be discussed further during the second round of Korea-Russia high-level talks, and that it would serve as a new driving engine for the development of bilateral relations, once signed.   Moreover, both Speakers exchanged appreciation for the invitation for official visit, and showed great interest in visiting each other’s country once the COVID-19 situation mitigates.   BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)

    On December 17, 2020, Korea hosted the 6th MIKTA Speakers’ Consultation online, under the theme “Complex Challenges and Parliamentary Leadership in a Pandemic Era.” Despite COVID-19 situation and significant time difference, leaders of all five countries (Mexican Senate’s Vice President Jorge Carlos Ramirez Marin, Indonesian House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani, ROK National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug, Turkish Grand National Assembly Speaker Mustafa Sentop, and Australian Senate President Sue Lines) gathered virtually to discuss impacts of COVID-19 and importance of international cooperation at parliamentary level.   First on the topic of “Five Years of MIKTA Speakers’ Consultation: Challenges in a Pandemic Era,” leaders discussed how COVID-19 pandemic has brought negative impacts on national and global economy health/social care system and trade, and came down to emphasize parliamentary leadership and cooperation in the global society. Next on the topic of “Inclusive Parliamentary Leadership for the Socially Vulnerable in a Pandemic Crisis” for the second session, the attendees shared each parliament’s experiences particularly in protecting rights and safeguarding equal participation of vulnerable group in the society in the midst of the pandemic. Finally, the leaders adopted the joint statement, which includes the key conclusions and prospects for parliamentary cooperation of MIKTA to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.     BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)

Photo : Elysee.fr. "Le Liban n'est pas seul"     5 days after the Beirut explosion which took away lives of hundreds and left thousands homeless, French President Emmanuel Macron called for an emergency conference, together with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.   At the "International Conference on Assistance and Support to Beirut and the Lebanese People," The participants from 28 countries and 7 international organizations* extended their sincere condolences to the victims and residents of Beirut and shown deep respect to the medical staffs and personnel from and outside of Lebanon for immediate aid. They decided to act in solidarity to assist Beirut in a timely, sufficient and consistent manner, under the coordination and direction of the UN.   This was a consolidated act of international community, showing to the world that heartfelt cooperation, friendship and partnership is there to for Lebanon.   * At this virtual meeting, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United-Kingdom and the United-States of America, as well as the League of Arab States, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the World Bank (WB) participated.   Sources Elysee.fr (2020-08-09) “Conférence internationale de soutien et d'appui à Beyrouth et au peuple libanais.” Retrieved from https://www.elysee.fr/emmanuel-macron/2020/08/09/conference-internationale-de-soutien-et-dappui-a-beyrouth-et-au-peuple-libanais   BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)

  The 17th MIKTA Foreign Ministers Meeting was held via video-conference on July 17. Hosted by Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa from Korea, the first virtual meeting with the foreign ministers was joined by Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne.   During the meeting, Ministers discussed ways to strengthen multilateralism during COVID-19. They agreed on the importance of multilateralism for international cooperation and solidarity, and MIKTA countries share the responsibility to act together, especially in the midst of COVID-19 crisis.   MIKTA Foreign Ministers’ Joint Statement on the Elections held at the United Nations General Assembly was adopted.     BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)