On 27 October 2008, Mr. Antonio Felix Machado de Faria e Maya, Ambassadors of Portugal and Dr. Brook Barrington, Ambassador of New Zealand to Thailand, paid their courtesy calls on Mr.Sompong Amornvivat, Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, respectively upon the latter’s assumption of office at the Foreign Ministry.
Earlier in the morning, Portugal Ambassador to Thailand congratulated DPM/FM Sompong for his appointment. Both sides praised the long historical ties between Thailand and Portugal and consulted on activities to celebrate their five-hundred-year diplomatic ties, to take place in 2011. Ambassador Antonio proposed that human and cultural heritage be a platform of such celebratory activities. They also reviewed pending agreements and existing cooperation, including the next Joint Commission to be hosted by Thailand and the mutual support under the UN framework. DPM/FM Sompong also had extensive discussions with Portugal Ambassador regarding the current global financial crisis.
During his meeting with DPM/FM Sompong, Mr. Brook Barrington, Ambassador of New Zealand proposed to Thailand with its capacity of ASEAN Chair to reflect in Chairman’s Statement economic and financial cooperation as well as dialogue among civilization during the upcoming ASEAN Summit in December. Also proposed by Ambassador of New Zealand is the possibility of ASEAN-New Zealand Summit. On the situation between Thailand and Cambodia, Ambassador Brook wished to see that the two sides resolve the situation diplomatically as “to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war”.
Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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