1. The Foreign Ministers of the MIKTA members -- the Republic of Korea, the United Mexican States, the Republic of Indonesia, and the Republic of Turkey -- released a joint statement on January 10 to extend sympathies over the bushfires in the Commonwealth of Australia, a fellow member of MIKTA.

2. In the joint statement, the Foreign Ministers said that they are deeply saddened by the enormous damage caused by the bushfires in Australia, including the loss of lives, and hoped that the bushfires will soon be brought under control. The Foreign Ministers also expressed their solidarity with the government and the people of Australia in their efforts to tackle the bushfires.

3. The joint statement, adopted at the suggestion of the ROK, is seen to have served as an opportunity to reaffirm cooperation among the MIKTA members as the ROK prepares to assume the chairmanship of MIKTA in February this year.