UK Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell responds to the natural disasters in Indonesia

UK Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell

Please also visit : KATAKAMIDOTCOMNEWSINDONESIA.BLOGSPOT.COM

October 29, 2010 (KATAKAMI / UK EMBASSY IN INDONESIA) ---  UK Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell said:

"Our sympathies go out to those affected by these disasters.  We are in close contact with the Government of Indonesia and stand ready to help if necessary."

British Chancellor George Osborne visits Korea

October 22, 2010 (KATAKAMI / FCO.GOV.UK) --- Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne will visit Korea to attend the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in Gyeongju.

The Chancellor will visit Korea from Friday 22nd - Saturday 23rd October to attend the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in Gyeongju.

He also attended the June G20 meeting in Busan.

During the two day visit, the Chancellor will represent the UK at the G20 meeting, which will run from Friday until Saturday evening. Charles Bean, Deputy Governor of Bank of England, will accompany the Chancellor to attend the Meeting in Gyeongju.

Commenting ahead of the Chancellor's visit, Martin Uden, British Ambassador to Seoul, said:

"We see the key goal for the G20 as being to continue the recovery of the world economy and secure sustainable growth.  We need to maximise growth through the right combination of three things: deficit reduction; tackling imbalances, particularly through actions by emerging economies; and structural reform in advanced economies.

I know that the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Osborne, is also looking forward to his visit to Korea for the Summit in November.''

Further information

The Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible for overseeing the work of Her Majesty's Treasury, the government department responsible for economic and budgetary issues. A biography of the Chancellor is on the HM Treasury website.

Follow British Ambassador to the Republic of Korea on Twitter: @martin_uden

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera arrives in UK

Chile's President Sebastian Pinera poses with the 33 rescued miners inside Copiapo Hospital, where the miners are undergoing full medical examinations October 14, 2010. Chile's 33 newly rescued miners recovered from their ordeal on Thursday while also pondering the celebrity status they have gained following a more than two-month entrapment deep under a remote desert. From L-R: (seated) Raul Bustos, Omar Reygadas, Esteban Rojas, Samuel Avalos, Daniel Herrera, Juan Carlos Aguilar, President Pinera, Pedro Cortez, Carlos Barrios, Carlos Bugueno, Carlos Mamani, Alex Vega, Claudia Llanez, Jose Henriquez and Osman Araya; (standing) Victor Zamora, Pablo Rojas, Luis Urzua, Victor Segovia, Mario Gomez, Johnny Barrios, Mario Sepulveda, Jorge Galleguillos, Juan Illanes, Claudio Acuna, Jimmy Sanchez, Ariel Ticona, Dario Segovia, Jose Ojeda, Richard Villarroel, Franklin Lobos (hidden), Renan Avalos, Florencio Avalos and Edison Pena. (Getty Images / REUTERS/Jose Manuel de la Maza/Chilean Presidency/Handout

October 16, 2010 (KATAKAMI / BBC) — Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera has arrived in the UK ahead of a European tour, as his country basks in the rescue of 33 trapped miners.

Mr Pinera brought fragments of rock from the San Jose mine as presents for Prime Minister David Cameron and the Queen.

The billionaire president is due to visit Churchill’s War Rooms in London and hold talks with Mr Cameron.
The rescue of the miners after 69 days has made headlines worldwide.

Thirty-one of the miners have now been released from hospital, with the remaining two being transferred to other hospitals.

One is suffering from a dental infection and the second is suffering from vertigo symptoms.

Mr Pinera, 60, said Churchill’s “blood, toil, tears and sweat” speech had provided inspiration to him during the battle to save the miners.

He also said he ignored political advice to steer clear of the rescue effort.

“Many people thought the rescue was impossible and advised me not to get involved, to keep my distance,” he said.

“I decided to take full responsibility without any political consideration… We made a commitment to look for the miners as if they were our sons.”

Like Mr Cameron, Mr Pinera was only elected this year, and his visit to London is thought to have been planned many months ago.

He is thought to be hoping to persuade more British companies, including mining corporations, to invest in Chile.

Mr Pinera, who greeted the miners with a hug after their rescue, told The Times: “Chile will now be remembered and recognised not for Pinochet but as an example of unity, leadership, courage, faith and success.”

He also told the newspaper he had a “very strong admiration” for Mr Cameron.

Mr Pinera flew in to London’s Heathrow Airport and, after sightseeing in London on Sunday, will meet Mr Cameron and have an audience with the Queen, who has extended an invitation at the last minute following the mine rescue.
 
He is visiting France and Germany later this week.

Mr Pinera revealed that his father-in-law died only hours before the miners were rescued and he had told the president: “Don’t give up. Keep working to rescue the miners.”

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera heads for UK

President Pinera (left) is on the crest of a wave after the miners were rescued

October 16, 2010 (KATAKAMI / BBC) — Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera is due to arrive in the UK ahead of European tour, riding on the crest of a wave after the rescue of the 33 miners.

Mr Pinera will be bringing fragments of rock from the San Jose mine as presents for Prime Minister David Cameron and the Queen.

The billionaire president is due to visit Churchill’s War Rooms in London and have talks with Mr Cameron.

The rescue of the miners after 69 days has made headlines worldwide. 

Thirty-one of the miners have now been released from hospital, with the remaining two being transferred to other hospitals.

One is suffering from a dental infection and the second is suffering from the symptoms of vertigo.
Mr Pinera, 60, said Churchill’s “blood, toil, tears and sweat” speech had provided inspiration to him during the battle to save the miners.

He also said he ignored political advice to steer clear of the rescue effort: “Many people thought the rescue was impossible and advised me not to get involved, to keep my distance.
“I decided to take full responsibility without any political consideration… We made a commitment to look for the miners as if they were our sons.”

Like Mr Cameron, Mr Pinera was only elected this year, and his visit to London is thought to have been planned many months ago.

He is thought to be hoping to persuade more British companies, including mining corporations, to invest in Chile.

Mr Pinera, who greeted the miners with a hug after their rescue, told The Times: “Chile will now be remembered and recognised not for Pinochet but as an example of unity, leadership, courage, faith and success.”

He also told the newspaper he had a “very strong admiration” for Mr Cameron.

Mr Pinera will arrive at London’s Heathrow Airport later and, after sightseeing in London on Sunday, he will meet Mr Cameron and have an audience with the Queen, who has extended an invitation at the last minute following the mine rescue.

He is visiting France and Germany later this week.

Mr Pinera revealed that his father-in-law died only hours before the miners were rescued and he had told the president: “Don’t give up. Keep working to rescue the miners.”

Chile's President Gives The Queen Mine Rock

Chile's President Pinera met with the miners in hospital

October 16, 2010(KATAKAMI/ SKY NEWS) — Fresh from greeting the 33 rescued miners, Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera flies to the UK today for talks with David Cameron.

Mr Pinera told The Times newspaper he is bringing gifts of rock from the mine where the men were trapped for the Prime Minister and the Queen.

The 33 workers were all safely rescued from the San Jose mine this week and all but two have since been discharged from hospital.

The president, who was elected earlier this year, captured the world’s attention as he stood in a pit helmet ready to greet each man with a hug as they emerged.

The 60-year-old leader told The Times he was inspired by Winston Churchill’s phrase of “Blood, toil, tears and sweat” during the desperate wait for the miners’ rescue.

“Many people thought the rescue was impossible and advised me not to get involved, to keep my distance,” he said.

“I decided to take full responsibility without any political consideration… We made a commitment to look for the miners as if they were our sons.”

However, Mr Pinera’s visit to the UK comes amid news of a worker’s death at a gold mine in Petorca.
Benitez Roberto Fernandez, 26, was killed when he was hit by falling rocks.

It is the second fatal case in the region in 10 days.

Mr Pinera has vowed to improve working conditions across the nation in the wake of the rescue of the San Jose miners.

The president arrives at London’s Heathrow Airport on Saturday afternoon and will visit the British Museum and Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms on Sunday.

On Monday he will meet Mr Cameron at Downing Street before having an audience with the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

The Harvard-educated businessman-turned-politician told The Times he hoped Chile’s international standing had been boosted by the recent rescue effort.

He aslo hoped British entrepreneurs would now invest more in his country.

“Chile will now be remembered and recognised not for Pinochet but as an example of unity, leadership, courage, faith and success,” he said.

Mr Pinera added he believed God’s help was “absolutely essential” in the successful rescue.

He described Chile and the UK as having a “real community of values” and said he hoped to forge a relationship with Mr Cameron, for whom he expressed “a very strong admiration”.

Speaking of the visit, he told The Times: “For us it’s a great honour. I am bringing with me a gift of pieces of rock taken from the depth of the mine and will give one to the Prime Minister and one to the Queen.”
Mr Pinera will also give a lecture at the London School of Economics before visiting France and Germany.