Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart headed the Thai delegation to attend the Post Forum Dialogue of the Pacific Islands Forum in Papua Guinea on 27-29 October.

As a dialogue partner, Dr. Surakiart co-chaired with the Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea a productive meeting attended by representatives of the PIF members including the Finance Minister of Kiribati and the Foreign Minister of Palau. They exchanged views on the Pacific Plan and identified areas in which Thailand can add value to key development programmes, particularly in the fields of agriculture, tourism, education and healthcare as well as disaster relief. They also agreed to set up a task force between Thailand and the PIF to foster economic linkages between the major sectors of the economies. He also touched base with the Secretary-General of PIF Forum on the institutional linkages with ASEAN.

Dr. Surakiart also took the opportunity of holding bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea as well Presidents, Prime Ministers and heads of delegation of the PIF members and the Forum's dialogue partners.

Dr. Surakiart accompanied the Prime Minister of Thailand on his official visits to France, Britain, and the Russian Federation between 9-16 October.

Whilst in Europe, Dr. Surakiart took the opportunity to visit the Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern of Ireland with whom he discussed the ongoing UN reform process and inter-regional development cooperation. And he had the great pleasure of congratulating Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, on being awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize in Vienna.