MIKTA's Chair to Focus on Fighting Terrorism, Refugees Issue

Foreign Ministers of MIKTA countries – Mexico, Indonesia , the Republic of Korea, Turkey, Australia. File Photo.

Kuala Lumpur, 1 Ramadan 1438/27 May 2017 (MINA) – Turkey, as MIKTA’s chair for 2017, will focus on three core issues namely security cooperation and fighting terrorism, enhancing economic and trade cooperation, as well as addressing the challenges of refugees and migration, said Turkish Ambassador to Malaysia Basak Turkoglu.

She said that these priorities were highlighted by Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, during the 9th MIKTA Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in February this year.

Set up in September 2013, MIKTA, is an unofficial consultation and coordination platform among Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia, is a flexible platform which aimed at jointly contributing constructive solutions to regional and global issues.

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Identified as ‘middle powers’, MIKTA countries are members of the G20, an international forum for the government and central bank governors from 20 major economies. It was founded with the aim of studying, reviewing, and promoting high-level discussion of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability.

Cavusoglu said that MIKTA should stand united in security cooperation and fighting the global threat of terrorism.

“Last year, our experts had a meeting in Sydney on anti-money laundering and counter terrorism-financing. This year, we want to expand our cooperation by adding issues such as foreign terrorist fighters and terrorist organisations in MIKTA countries,” she told Bernama at the MIKTA Night In Malaysia Thursday night.

On economic and trade cooperation, Turkoglu said that MIKTA nations were important players of global trade and were in favour of the multilateral-based trading system, adding that MIKTA was also trying to increase cooperation within the G20 and World Trade Organisation (WTO).

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She also said that innovation was critical in order to achieve sustainable economic development, pointing out that last year MIKTA countries agreed to establish MIKTA innovation group.

As for refugees and migration challenges, Turkoglu said that international cooperation was vital as the world was witnessing the largest ever refugee flow since the second world war.

“As a country hosting the largest number of asylum seekers, Turkey is facing day by day the size and depth of this humanitarian crisis. This is an area where international cooperation is a must,” she stressed.

She said that in this regard MIKTA had organised a meeting on migration and refugees on May 17-18.

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The envoy also said that Turkey will host the 10th MIKTA Foreign Ministers meeting by the end of this year.

The MIKTA Night was co-organised by the Embassies of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia, to update and promote the efforts undertaken by each representative of MIKTA members.

The event was officiated by Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry’s Department of Policy Planning and Coordination Director-General Datuk Sudha Devi.

Mexican Ambassador to Malaysia Carlos Felix Corona, South Korean Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Yu Hyun-seok, Charge de’Affaires at the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia, Andreano Erwin, and Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Rod Smith, attended the event. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)