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AMBASSADOR LEE TAE-SIK, PERMANENT OBSERVER OF KOREA TO THE OAS
REMARKS BY AMBASSADOR LEE TAE-SIK, PERMANENT OBSERVER OF KOREA TO THE OAS

June 4, 2006 - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic


Mr. Chairman, Morales Troncoso, Dr. Jos Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the O.A.S., representatives, observers, ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the Korean Government, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Government of the Dominican Republic for its excellent preparations with regard to the 36th General Assembly.

The cooperation of Korea with the OAS can be classified in 3 categories. First, the Korea-Latin America Cooperation Fund Project, second, in-kind contribution, and third, the Korea Training Invitation Project. Every year, Korea has been carrying out those projects and making contributions so as to promote cooperation between Korea and the O.A.S.

I would like to report on Korea-O.A.S. cooperation from 2005 to 2006. With respect to the Korea-Latin America Cooperation Fund Project, Korea has contributed a total of $70,000 to the Electoral Observation Mission of the O.A.S. to support its electoral observation activities in the General Elections of Honduras (Nov. 2005), Parliamentary Elections of Venezuela (Dec. 2005) and the General Elections of Peru (April 2006).

Also, Korea has participated in the electoral observation activities of the O.A.S. in Honduras, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia.

In addition, in March 2006, Korea contributed $50,000 to the O.A.S. to support the organization of the Central American Meeting of Inter-American Forum on Political Parties.

With respect to in-kind contributions, in 2005, Korea contributed 5 sports utility vehicles and 20 laptop computers to the O.A.S.' Mission to support the Peace Process in Columbia.

In the second half of this year, Korea will contribute 100 computers to the Inter-American Childrens' Institute to support the promotion of computer education for children in Panama and in Nicaragua.

Finally, with respect to the KOICA Training Invitation Project, Korea will invite 15 people from O.A.S. member countries to the KOICA training program named "e-trade and export promotion" from June 29 to July 14 of this year.

To further strenthen cooperative ties between Korea and the O.A.S., Korea intends to continue to promote these valuable exchange and collaboration projects in the future.

Thank you very much.