Lima, Oct. 3, 2005.- Thai Foreign Minister, Dr. Kantathi Suphamongkhon, proposed that his country serve the Andean countries as the doorway to Southeast Asia, just as Peru could be for Thailand’s entry to the Andean region and South America.

In speaking at the CAN General Secretariat headquarters about "The roles of Peru and Thailand as economic and cultural nodes between the Andean Community and Southeast Asia”, he emphasized the shared interests of Thailand and the Andean countries in areas like illegal drugs, antipoverty efforts, and energy development, among other things.

Antonio Araníbar, the Director General responsible for the Andean Community General Secretariat, received the Thai Foreign Minister at a special session attended by members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the Andean Integration System and of the business and labor sectors.

The Thai Foreign Minister, during his keynote address, spoke about his country’s foreign policy aimed at free trade and integration in the framework of the ASEAN, as well as the importance of closer relations between the CAN and Southeast Asia.

He underscored his country’s antipoverty program known as “one village, one product” that furnishes resources to municipalities for use in boosting production lines in specialized products in growing world demand, at the same time as it transfers to those municipalities responsibilities that will allow them to become more competitive and to export efficiently.

He went on to emphasize that with 63 million inhabitants, 45 billion dollars in international reserves and an average growth rate averaging close to 6 percent over the past three years, his country offers an enormous potential demand.

The Thai Foreign Minister proposed that possibilities be explored for increasing trade between the Andean Community and Thailand, currently at relatively low levels, and for boosting bilateral cooperation. He considered that it would be desirable for the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers to hold a meeting for that purpose, as suggested by the CAN General Secretariat.