APEC agenda<\/p>\n
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was formed with
\nno other basic goal than to promote closer economic co-operation
\namong its member countries.<\/p>\n
There are enough substantive economic issues at hand to keep
\nAPEC relevant and busy without being sidetracked into other
\nmatters which are best handled in other international forums and
\norganizations. The 14-year-old APEC is in danger of losing its
\nfocus and, as Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has rightly said,
\nthe APEC Summit in Bangkok should concentrate on fair and
\nequitable trade.<\/p>\n
Expanding international commerce by itself is not enough if
\nthe terms of trade remain desperately unequal and the interests
\nof developing countries are compromised in the pursuit of so-
\ncalled free trade. Developing countries do not want handouts, but
\nthey do want and deserve a fair deal from the rich countries and
\nequal opportunities to acquire and nurture their technology.<\/p>\n
Free enterprise is fine in principle, but the reality is that
\nthe playing field is not level. APEC should find ways to reduce
\nthe disadvantages in regional integration and trade
\nliberalization for its developing member countries. The small
\nindustries and institutions in the emerging economies of APEC are
\nthreatened by the big multinational companies as markets are
\npriced open indiscriminately. These are the practical issues
\nwhich should occupy the time and energy of APEC, not security,
\nmilitary and political matters.<\/p>\n
Fighting terrorism is just as important to countries in the
\nregion as the United States. But the obsession with global
\nterrorism may result in APEC being inadvertently hijacked for
\npurposes which it is not intended for nor best equipped to do.
\nThe irony is that the so-called breeding grounds of terrorism in
\nthe region can be closed down if APEC's original economic-
\noriented objectives succeed.<\/p>\n
There should be a conscious effort to steer APEC back to these
\nfounding aims. Inaction and indifference by member countries may
\nsee APEC drift into a quasi-security and political organization
\nserving the agenda of a dominant power and its partners. -- New
\nStrait Times, Kuala Lumpur--<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/apec-agenda-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}