APEC agrees to expand areas of cooperation<\/p>\n
TOKYO (AFP): The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
\nforum wound up yesterday two weeks of preparations for next
\nmonth's summit in Osaka with an agreement to expand cooperation
\nin 13 specific areas overshadowed by a persistent deadlock over
\nhow far to extend the group's free-trade plans.<\/p>\n
\"Liberalization was the central dispute, particularly the idea
\nof comprehensiveness,\" said Hiromoto Seki, the ambassador in
\ncharge of APEC affairs at the Japanese foreign ministry.<\/p>\n
Seki, who chaired five days of talks between senior APEC
\nofficials this week following a series of committee meetings last
\nweek, said there was \"no plan\" to delay the action agenda which
\nis supposed to be adopted in Osaka.<\/p>\n
\"What we have to do from now on is work out how to phrase the
\ndetails,\" he said, downplaying the widespread opposition to
\nJapan's reluctance to support free trade in all sectors. \"I'm
\nconvinced that everybody will understand it.\"<\/p>\n
Despite opposition from most of the group's 18 members, Japan,
\nChina, South Korea and Taiwan are seeking special treatment for
\nsensitive sectors as agriculture as one of the action agenda's
\nnine guiding principles.<\/p>\n
The action agenda aims to implement last year's agreement by
\nAPEC leaders for industrialized members to work towards free and
\nopen trade and investment in the region by 2010 with developing
\nmembers following by 2020.<\/p>\n
The 13 areas targeted for increased cooperation were human
\nresources, industrial technology, small and medium-sized
\nenterprises, infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, trade
\npromotion, transport, tourism, trade and investment data, marine
\nresources, agriculture and fisheries.<\/p>\n
Among the more concrete proposals to be endorsed next month is
\na plan to establish an Energy Research Institute, Japanese
\nofficials said.<\/p>\n
In addition to the impasse over excluding sensitive areas from
\nthe free-trade program over the next 25 years, officials said the
\nUnited States and China failed to resolve a separate dispute.<\/p>\n
While most members agree that the benefits of free trade
\nshould the extended on a non-discriminatory basis, the United
\nStates has legal obstacles in doing so with China.<\/p>\n
A further complication is the fact that China's application to
\njoin the World Trade Organization is still pending.<\/p>\n
\"There was no progress in the problem. Discussions are still
\nunderway with China,\" Seki said.<\/p>\n
Australian Trade Minister Bob McMullan meanwhile warned that
\nAPEC was at a \"critical juncture\" and urged Japan to show strong
\npolitical leadership.<\/p>\n
\"Since its inauguration, APEC has been an ambitious and
\nsuccessful undertaking which at various times has required strong
\nleadership as it does again now,\" he told a news conference in
\nTokyo.<\/p>\n
Speaking after talks with International Trade and Industry
\nMinister Ryutaro Hashimoto, he warned that APEC \"will lose its
\ncredibility in the eyes of both its members and the rest of the
\ntrading world\" if the Osaka summit fails.<\/p>\n
\"More importantly, Japan and other APEC economies will have
\nlost an historic opportunity to lock in the current momentum
\ntowards the implementation of free trade in goods, services and
\ninvestment in the region, \" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The Osaka meeting will be a real test of Japan's capability
\nto look beyond its sectoral preoccupations and give a lead to
\ncountries in the Asia-Pacific.\"<\/p>\n
Earlier Friday, Agriculture Minister Hosei Norota hinted that
\nJapan would eventually have to back down from insisting on
\nspecial treatment.<\/p>\n
\"As the host nation, I think Japan should fulfill its
\nresponsibility,\" Norota told reporters. \"After trying different
\nideas, I think there will come a time when Japan will have to
\nmake a decision.\"<\/p>\n
The Japanese agriculture ministry, which unsuccessfully
\nlobbied against the partial opening of the country's rice market
\nin the Uruguay Round of global trade talks two years ago, denied
\nthat Norota's remarks signaled a shift.<\/p>\n
\"This doesn't mean any change in the ministry's stance,\" a
\nspokesman said.<\/p>\n
APEC groups Brunei, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Hong
\nKong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New
\nZealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan,
\nThailand and the United States.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/apec-agrees-to-expand-areas-of-cooperation-1447893297",
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