Taipei, Sept. 6 (CNA) President Lee Teng-hui on Monday presided over three separate grand ceremonies at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall complex in downtown Taipei welcoming the arrival of heads of state from three Central American countries.
The three welcoming ceremony were held for Guatemalan President Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen, Nicaraguan President Arnuldo Aleman Lacayo and Honduran President Carlos Roberto Flores Facusse, respectively.
The three Central American presidents were accorded with full military honors, complete with a 21-gun salute.
The three heads of state have come here to attend the second summit meeting between the Republic of China and seven Central American and Caribbean nations, which will be held on Tuesday.
In addition to the above-mentioned three presidents, Salvadoran President Francisco Guillermo Flores, Costa Rican Vice President Astrid Fishel Volio, Dominican Vice President Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal, and Belize Deputy Prime Minister John Briceno have also arrived in Taipei in the past couple of days for attending the summit meeting.
President Lee will officiate at the opening ceremony during which Lee will deliver a welcoming speech while Guatemalan President Arzu will also speak on behalf of all participating senior foreign leaders.
In the follow-up session, President Lee will speak on the ROC's current political and economic situation as well as ROC-Central American cooperation in the world arena.
The seven Central American and Caribbean leaders will also deliver addresses on various topics, including the present regional situation, investment climate, rehabilitation programs, trade, tourism, environmental protection and regional economic integration.
At the end of the one-day summit meeting, President Lee and the seven participating foreign leaders will sign a joint communique Tuesday afternoon and will also give a joint press conference.
President Lee will host a state dinner in honor of the foreign leaders at Grand Hotel in Taipei Tuesday evening.
In connection with the biennial summit meeting, a Central American coffee carnival will also be held at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall complex Tuesday. Senior leaders from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala will attend the extravaganza.
The carnival will feature performances of exotic Latin American dances and music as well as presentation of high-quality coffee from Central America.
The first ROC-Central America summit meeting was held in El Salvador in September 1997 when President Lee made a "journey of peace" to several ROC diplomatic allies in the region.