Abhisit to join G-20 meet

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will attend the G-20 summit in London in early April to share the region's experience in coping with the financial crisis and recovery, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said yesterday.

This will mark the first time a Thai leader will join the meeting of the Group of 20, which consists of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.

Kasit said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had invited Abhisit, as the Asean chair, to join world leaders and financial institutions to discuss ways to restore financial stability. The last summit was held in Washington last November.

Abhisit will fly to Jakarta on Friday to meet Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The two-day visit will combine discussions on bilateral issues and preparations for the G-20 summit.

"Indonesia is the only Asean member of G-20. Abhisit will consult with Yudhoyono on this important meeting," Kasit said.

Abhisit made a good impression on Brown at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Kasit said. He also held talks with several world leaders and top business executives at the world's premier forum.

In Davos, Brown also invited Abhisit to make an official visit to Britain, which Abhisit accepted. The trip has been scheduled for March 12-13.

The financial ministers from Asean, Japan, China and South Korea will also gather this weekend in Phuket to confer on the global financial crisis and the regional response. The Phuket meeting will also provide input from Asia to the second G-20 summit to find ways to end the current financial crisis and revive the global economy.

New US President Barack Obama will also attend the crisis meeting along with the leaders from China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, Australia, Canada, India, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Turkey.

During Abhisit's two-day stay in Britain, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, will host a luncheon for him at Buckingham Palace. Britain remains Europe's largest investor in Thailand and its second largest trading partner.

Last November, the British government revoked the visa

of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra after he was sentenced by a Thai court to two years' jail over the Ratchadaphisek land deal. He is currently on the run. After

he was ousted in a coup three years ago, he used London as

his political base.

What is the London Summit?

The London Summit brings together world leaders and financial institutions on April 2 to reach agreement on how to revive the world economy. The summit aims to find solutions to the current global economic crisis and build upon the action plan agreed at the Washington Summit last November.

How does the summit affect me?

The financial crisis is a global crisis. It affects governments, banks, financial institutions, businesses, homeowners, employees and families. Londonsummit.gov.uk offers an outline of the origins of the crisis; how the global community might rebuild the financial framework; and how, in turn, you will be affected.

Who will attend the summit?

Attendees will include G-20 world leaders and international financial institutions. The G-20 represents 90 per cent of global GNP, 80 per cent of world trade and two-thirds of the world's population.

(From the G-20 Summit website)