1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, who is visiting New York to attend the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, met with Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil el-Araby on September 29. They discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the Arab League, and exchanged in-depth views on the situations in the Middle East, on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.

* Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Secretary-General el-Araby have held a meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly every year since the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the ROK Foreign Ministry and the Arab League on the occasion of the UN General Assembly in September 2013.

2. The two sides noted with appreciation that bilateral exchanges and cooperation are expanding and deepening at various levels and in various areas under the aforementioned MOU. Such exchanges and cooperation include the ROK-Arab League policy consultations (February 2014 in Seoul/ June 2015 in Cairo), regular consultations with ambassadors to the ROK from the Arab League, a training program where five diplomats from the General Secretariat of the Arab League were invited to the ROK (May 2015), and a training program where fifteen election inspectors from the Arab League will be invited to the ROK (October 2015).

o In particular, Minister Yun stressed the importance of people-to-people exchanges among measures to expand cooperation between the two sides.

3. In their discussions on the Middle East, Minister Yun said that he visited Palestine in December last year and saw the situation on the ground first hand, and explained that the Representative of the ROK in Palestine won the residents’ confidence through various activities in the area. Secretary-General el-Araby expressed appreciation for that, and stressed the need to resolve the Israel-Palestine issue as soon as possible. The Secretary-General said that the Quartet (US, Russia, UN and EU) and major countries in the region will discuss strategies for a political solution within a few days.

4. The two sides shared the view that in order to effectively respond to extremist terrorist groups, including ISIL, and deal with humanitarian crises caused by regional conflicts, including the refugee problem in Syria, the international community’s continued efforts for assistance are necessary. In this regard, they agreed to actively join such international efforts.

o Minister Yun explained that the ROK has donated a total of 27 million US dollars in humanitarian aid since 2011 to support refugees in Syria and Iraq, and that the ROK will continue its support.

5. Regarding the situation in Northeast Asia, Minister Yun explained that North Korea’s continued development of nuclear weapons and missiles is posing a serious threat to the international community, and that five neighboring countries, including the US and China, concerned about the possibility of North Korea launching a long-range missile in early October, are sending a stern message to deter North Korea’s provocation.

6. Foreign Minister-level regular consultations with the Arab League and the expansion of exchanges in various areas are part of the ROK’s multiple-level efforts to consolidate the comprehensive partnership with the Middle East. The ROK will continue such cooperation.


*unofficial translation