1. In the wake of the telephone conversation between President Moon Jae-in and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at 21:00, May 20, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha talked over the phone with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan at 22:00, May 20, Korea Standard Time. Minister Kang reiterated deep appreciation to the UAE government for playing a crucial role, including by rendering active assistance, in the safe return home by the national of the Republic of Korea who had been abducted in the State of Libya.

° In response, Minister Abdullah expressed pleasure over the abductee’s safe return to his family as well as hope that the ROK and the UAE will work more closely together across the board through close cooperation as “special strategic partners.”

2. Minister Kang took note of the expanding and diversifying cooperation between the two countries since the bilateral summit talks held in February, mainly on what had been agreed upon by the leaders of the two countries then. She asked Minister Abdullah to visit the ROK in the second half of the year 2019 to hold in Seoul “an ROK-UAE foreign ministerial special strategic dialogue,” which the two countries had agreed in February to set up.

° Minister Abdullah, agreeing to Minister Kang’s proposal, suggested that the two sides consult closely with each other on the date and agenda of the dialogue through diplomatic channels.

* unofficial translation