1. On the sidelines of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se presided over the third Foreign Ministers’ meeting of MIKTA -- a consultative mechanism among Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia -- on September 25. In the meeting, the high-level delegates from the five countries exchanged views on the outcome of MIKTA’s activities over the past year and the way forward; regional issues, including North Korea’s human rights and other issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, threats posed by the Islamic State and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq and Syria, and the situation in Ukraine; and ways for MIKTA to contribute to key issues in the field of global governance, including development cooperation (post-2015 development goals), climate change, UN reform, the G20, humanitarian assistance and disaster risk reduction.

2. The MIKTA Ministers stressed that the promotion of global health, a topic currently under active discussions at the UN and on other international stages, should be addressed from the perspective of the shared interests of the international community, sharing the concern that the spread of the Ebola virus represents a serious challenge not only to West Africa but also to the international community as a whole. In that vein, MIKTA adopted a joint statement pledging active participation in the international efforts to promote global health and especially in the efforts to prevent the further spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa. (* Text of the joint statement attached)

3. The Ministers also noted the value of outreach activities in enhancing the visibility of the group in the international community. In terms of the way forward for MIKTA, they shared the view that the following should be undertaken: holding the senior officials’ meeting and diversifying consultative channels; enhancing the visibility of MIKTA through a MIKTA cyber secretariat; drawing up a roadmap for strengthening MIKTA’s identity; carrying out promotional activities targeting major media outlets to raise awareness of MIKTA.

◦ The Ministers expressed expectation on the contribution of the Republic of Korea as the MIKTA chair for a year starting from September 2014. They agreed to gather informally in Brisbane on the margins of the G20 Summit in November. It was also agreed that the fourth Foreign Ministers’ meeting would be held in the ROK in the first half of 2015.

4. Through their Foreign Ministers’ meeting on September 25, amid the growing importance of global governance, the MIKTA members are seen to have agreed to proactively explore potential areas of cooperation in order to expand their contribution to the global community. With MIKTA marking its second anniversary, the ROK, which has virtually led MIKTA’s activities, will continue playing a leading role in order to diversify its diplomatic focus and enhance the country’s image as one that actively contributes to the happiness of global community. 


                  Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation