Thailand is set to join a group of 12 nations from outside the Pacific region that hold annual trade, aid and political talks with Pacific Island Forum states. Greg Urwin, the forum’s secretary general, said Thailand applied to join the
Thailand is set to join a group of 12 nations from outside the Pacific region that hold annual trade, aid and political talks with Pacific Island Forum states. Greg Urwin, the forum’s secretary general, said Thailand applied to join the Forum’s “dialogue” partners who each year hold formal talks after the annual Forum summit. If the Forum approves admission, Thailand’s participation in the two days of meetings would begin in 2005, Urwin said. Dialogue participants include China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the European Union, Britain, France and the United States. Forum states, three of whom recognize Taiwan, hold a separate meeting with Taiwan’s representatives.
This year’s Pacific Islands Forum meeting of 16 South Pacific states is scheduled for August 5-7 in the Samoan capital of Apia.
The Islands Forum is made up of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
