[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Reuters-FOCUS-Obuchi aims to boost



Subject: Reuters-FOCUS-Obuchi aims to boost Thai ties, recovery 

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0017_01BF5E19.D5124180
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

FOCUS-Obuchi aims to boost Thai ties, recovery=20
06:26 a.m. Jan 13, 2000 Eastern=20
By David Brunnstrom=20

BANGKOK, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi began a =
two-day visit to Thailand on Thursday aimed at enhancing a close =
bilateral relationship and putting Asia's economic recovery on a more =
solid footing, officials said.=20

Obuchi arrived in Bangkok from Vientiane for the last stop on a tour of =
Southeast Asia that has taken him to Cambodia and Laos, the first visits =
to those countries by a Japanese premier in several decades.=20

Obuchi was to start the Thai leg of the tour with an hour of talks with =
counterpart Chuan Leekpai, followed by a dinner hosted by Chuan at =
Government House.=20

Japanese officials said the two would discuss ways to boost Japanese =
investment in Thailand, which slipped during the Asian economic crisis =
that began with the devaluation of the Thai baht in 1997.=20

``The Asian economic crisis is about over, but the recovery needs to be =
put on a more solid basis,'' said a Japanese government official who =
declined to be identified.=20

``We need to enhance our cooperation and deal with the question of =
economic disparities within the region.''=20

Since the crisis broke, Japan has slipped from number one foreign =
investor in Thailand.=20

However, 40 percent of foreign direct investment in Thailand still comes =
from Japan and there are about 1,100 Japanese firms operating in the =
country.=20

Thailand is also the fourth-largest recipient of Japanese development =
assistance and Tokyo provided it more than $14 billion under different =
schemes to help it pull out of crisis.=20

JAPAN AIMS TO BOOST INVESTMENT=20

Through Obuchi's visit, Japan aimed to boost Japanese investment in both =
small and medium-sized enterprises in Thailand, the Japanese official =
said.=20

It would also discuss Japan's efforts to foster human resource skills, =
including the establishment of a regional network for development of =
higher education in engineering.=20

The investment push would be backed up with visits by delegations from =
the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and the Federation of =
Economic Organisations, or Keidanren, in February and March =
respectively, he said.=20

Thai and Japanese officials said the two sides would also address =
regional security issues, such as newly independent East Timor and =
military-ruled Myanmar, as well as efforts to open a new world trade =
round.=20

Thai government spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart said Thailand hoped to =
secure better access to Japan for its farm products.=20

``Opening up of the markets -- increased market share -- will probably =
be the main targets Thailand is aiming for. I think in some areas we are =
quite hopeful,'' Akapol said, adding that these included fruit, rice and =
rubber.=20

He said Japan wanted to hear Thailand's views as current head of the =
10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ahead of a =
meeting of the group of eight industrial nations Japan is due to host =
this year.=20

Obuchi has said he hopes G8 will give voice to Asian views.=20

Japan is also lobbying for support for its former top financial diplomat =
Eisuke Sakakibara's bid to become the next head of the International =
Monetary Fund.=20

Obuchi is to hold a news conference at 11 a.m. (0400 GMT) on Friday. =
Later he will have an audience with Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is =
due to leave Thailand on Saturday morning.=20





------=_NextPart_000_0017_01BF5E19.D5124180
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT color=3D#800000><FONT=20
size=3D+1><STRONG>FOCUS-Obuchi aims to boost Thai ties, =
recovery</STRONG></FONT>=20
<BR></FONT>06:26 a.m. Jan 13, 2000 Eastern=20
<P><STRONG>By David Brunnstrom</STRONG>=20
<P>BANGKOK, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi =
began a=20
two-day visit to Thailand on Thursday aimed at enhancing a close =
bilateral=20
relationship and putting Asia's economic recovery on a more solid =
footing,=20
officials said.=20
<P>Obuchi arrived in Bangkok from Vientiane for the last stop on a tour =
of=20
Southeast Asia that has taken him to Cambodia and Laos, the first visits =
to=20
those countries by a Japanese premier in several decades.=20
<P>Obuchi was to start the Thai leg of the tour with an hour of talks =
with=20
counterpart Chuan Leekpai, followed by a dinner hosted by Chuan at =
Government=20
House.=20
<P>Japanese officials said the two would discuss ways to boost Japanese=20
investment in Thailand, which slipped during the Asian economic crisis =
that=20
began with the devaluation of the Thai baht in 1997.=20
<P>``The Asian economic crisis is about over, but the recovery needs to =
be put=20
on a more solid basis,'' said a Japanese government official who =
declined to be=20
identified.=20
<P>``We need to enhance our cooperation and deal with the question of =
economic=20
disparities within the region.''=20
<P>Since the crisis broke, Japan has slipped from number one foreign =
investor in=20
Thailand.=20
<P>However, 40 percent of foreign direct investment in Thailand still =
comes from=20
Japan and there are about 1,100 Japanese firms operating in the country. =

<P>Thailand is also the fourth-largest recipient of Japanese development =

assistance and Tokyo provided it more than $14 billion under different =
schemes=20
to help it pull out of crisis.=20
<P><STRONG>JAPAN AIMS TO BOOST INVESTMENT</STRONG>=20
<P>Through Obuchi's visit, Japan aimed to boost Japanese investment in =
both=20
small and medium-sized enterprises in Thailand, the Japanese official =
said.=20
<P>It would also discuss Japan's efforts to foster human resource =
skills,=20
including the establishment of a regional network for development of =
higher=20
education in engineering.=20
<P>The investment push would be backed up with visits by delegations =
from the=20
Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and the Federation of Economic =

Organisations, or Keidanren, in February and March respectively, he =
said.=20
<P>Thai and Japanese officials said the two sides would also address =
regional=20
security issues, such as newly independent East Timor and military-ruled =

Myanmar, as well as efforts to open a new world trade round.=20
<P>Thai government spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart said Thailand hoped to =
secure=20
better access to Japan for its farm products.=20
<P>``Opening up of the markets -- increased market share -- will =
probably be the=20
main targets Thailand is aiming for. I think in some areas we are quite=20
hopeful,'' Akapol said, adding that these included fruit, rice and =
rubber.=20
<P>He said Japan wanted to hear Thailand's views as current head of the=20
10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ahead of a =
meeting of=20
the group of eight industrial nations Japan is due to host this year.=20
<P>Obuchi has said he hopes G8 will give voice to Asian views.=20
<P>Japan is also lobbying for support for its former top financial =
diplomat=20
Eisuke Sakakibara's bid to become the next head of the International =
Monetary=20
Fund.=20
<P>Obuchi is to hold a news conference at 11 a.m. (0400 GMT) on Friday. =
Later he=20
will have an audience with Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is due to =
leave=20
Thailand on Saturday morning.=20
<P><BR></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_0017_01BF5E19.D5124180--