APEC blueprint nearly finished<\/p>\n
HONG KONG (AFP): Senior officials from the 18 APEC economies
\nended three days of meetings here after completing \"80 percent\"
\nof the work on a blueprint for an Asia-Pacific free trade zone by
\n2020.<\/p>\n
But there was reason to believe that major problems still had
\nto be overcome before a final \"action agenda\" can be put before
\nforeign and economic ministers of the Asia-Pacific Economic
\nCooperation (APEC) forum in Osaka in November.<\/p>\n
\"We're still in a fluid drafting stage,\" Hiromoto Seki of
\nJapan's foreign ministry told a press briefing after the meeting
\nWednesday at a luxury hotel concluded and the other delegates
\ndashed off for a evening harbor cruise.<\/p>\n
Seki claimed that in the opinion of the delegations, 80
\npercent of the work on the action agenda -- initially drafted by
\nJapan which is this year's APEC chair -- had been completed.<\/p>\n
\"We managed to visit the entire universe of liberalization and
\n(trade) facilitation,\" he said, adding that another round of
\ntalks will take place in Tokyo next month, ahead of the Osaka
\nconference.<\/p>\n
But he refused to say what the stumbling blocks were, or even
\nin which sectors progress was being made, leaving observers with
\nthe impression that consensus was still a long way off.<\/p>\n
APEC leaders agreed at their November 1994 summit in Indonesia
\nthat their region -- which represents 46 percent of world trade
\n-- should tear down all trade impediments by 2020.<\/p>\n
For developed economies, the deadline would be set 10 years
\nearlier.<\/p>\n
The action agenda would comprise customs procedures, standards
\nand conformity, investment, dispute mediation, competition
\npolicy, government procurement, rules of origin, implementation
\nof the Uruguay Round of world trade practices, and the easing of
\nregional trade impediments.<\/p>\n
But the goal of a fully comprehensive agenda for APEC members
\nto abide by is being dashed by demands by some economies -- South
\nKorea reportedly chief among them -- for exceptions to appease
\ntheir powerful farm lobbies.<\/p>\n
The United States meanwhile feels its scope for action is
\nrestricted because of a growing protectionist mood in Congress, a
\nyear before President Bill Clinton faces a re-election campaign,
\nanalysts say.<\/p>\n
Seki, however, tried to play down the significance of the
\nagriculture hurdle. \"Agriculture itself is not an issue,\" he
\nsaid. \"What is an issue is the issue of comprehensive.\"<\/p>\n
The ultimate goal, he said, was to come up \"with something our
\nleaders will be proud of.\"<\/p>\n
APEC comprises Australia, Brunei, 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-blueprint-nearly-finished-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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