Lee, Sarkozy Agree on Early Conclusion of Korea-EU FTA
South Korea Calls for Closer EU Cooperation on N. Korean Nukes
By Na Jeong-ju
Korea Times Correspondent
BEIJING ― President Lee Myung-bak and French President Nicolas Sarkozy agreed Saturday to push for an early conclusion of the free trade deal between South Korea and the European Union (EU), stressing the role of Asia and Europe in moving the global economy forward.
President Lee called for closer cooperation between South Korea and the EU to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear program and fulfill its obligations as a member of the international community. France is the only EU member that has no diplomatic relations with North Korea.
During their summit here on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the leaders exchanged views on the global financial situation and agreed to work together to help the world find quick solutions to the worst global crisis since the Great Depression.
At the end of the biennial meeting, 43 Asian and European leaders reached a broad consensus on ways to deal with the global financial meltdown and will present their views at the Group of 20 financial summit slated for Nov. 15 in Washington.
``President Lee expressed hope that Korea will be able to conclude the Korea-EU free trade deal by the end of this year. Sarkozy stressed closer economic ties between Asia and Europe and promised to work for an early conclusion of the deal,'' Cheong Wa Dae Spokesman Lee Dong-kwan said.
Working group sessions are now underway between the two sides to narrow differences on automobiles, tariff reduction, rules of origin and non-tariff barriers. France currently holds the rotating presidency at the EU.
Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, was also on hand at the Lee-Sarkozy meeting and shared the view that both South Korea and the EU should further accelerate working negotiations on the deal, the spokesman said.
Trade volume between South Korea and the EU came to $89.8 billion in 2007. The EU is also the largest foreign investor in South Korea, with outstanding investment reaching $44.8 billion at the end of 2007.
Sarkozy criticized the United States for the global financial crisis, saying Europe and Asia should work together to improve the international financial system. In response, Lee said Asia's emerging economies should be allowed to talk with advanced countries to work out anti-crisis measures.
The French President said European countries will hold a summit on Nov. 7 to fine-tune European positions ahead of the Group of 20 summit.
``The outcome of the EU summit will be immediately delivered to South Korea and other Asian countries through special envoys and diplomatic channels,'' the spokesman said.