APEC dialogue sought to speed up tariff-free trade<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AFP): A select group of Asia-Pacific Economic
\nCooperation (APEC) forum leaders should hold a dialogue before
\ntheir formal summit on Osaka in November to speed up the creation
\nof tariff-free trade among Pacific Rim economies, a senior U.S.
\nofficial suggested yesterday.<\/p>\n
Sandra Kristoff, coordinator for APEC affairs at the U.S.
\nstate department, said the dialogue could comprise \"like-minded\"
\nleaders, such as U.S. President Bill Clinton, Australian Prime
\nMinister Paul Keating, Indonesian President Soeharto, South
\nKorean President Kim Young Sam and Philippine President Fidel
\nRamos.<\/p>\n
\"They could begin to work together earlier than the meeting
\n(summit) itself to ensure that their wishes, views and political
\nwill are captured by the APEC bureaucrats,\" she told reporters
\nafter a business meeting here.<\/p>\n
But Kristoff made it clear that the \"dialogue among like-
\nminded leaders\" was not a formal U.S. proposal but \"merely a
\nsuggestion.\"<\/p>\n
She also suggested that an unprecedented meeting of trade
\nministers within APEC be held before the summit to \"vet\" whatever
\ntrade and investment liberalization measures are to come up
\nbefore the leaders.<\/p>\n
Leaders of the 18 APEC economies at their second annual summit
\nlast year, in Bogor, Indonesia, agreed to work towards \"free and
\nopen trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific\" no later than
\n2020, with industrialized members meeting the target a decade
\nearlier.<\/p>\n
APEC comprises 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>\n
Action<\/p>\n
APEC officials said they were currently working towards
\nformulating a conceptual structure for an action agenda for
\nliberalizing free trade to be forwarded to the leaders attending
\nthe Osaka Summit.<\/p>\n
But Kristoff said: \"At this point, APEC discussions seem to be
\nfocussed on process rather than substance. We have to be careful
\nthis year in producing the Osaka document, which is different
\nbecause it is not a political declaration like that in Bogor.\"<\/p>\n
She said the results of the Osaka summit should be \"a real
\ncommitment at a level worthy of leaders.\"<\/p>\n
\"It is important to keep our eye on the ball for substance
\nrather than on process. One way to prod that would through (a
\ndialogue) among the like-minded leaders,\" Kristoff said.<\/p>\n
She said there was some consensus last year that there was not
\nenough transparency in the process towards previous APEC summits.<\/p>\n
\"To address these concerns, it is important documents that go
\nto leaders have the real commitment vetted by the trade
\nministers,\" Kristoff said, suggesting a September date for the
\nministers.<\/p>\n
The tradition so far is for a ministerial meeting of the
\ngrouping, some of whom are trade ministers, to precede APEC
\nsummits<\/p>\n
On whether the latest U.S.-Japan trade dispute would cast a
\ncloud on APEC, Kristoff said: \"At worst, it will be a dampening
\neffect. I think APEC leaders will be able to get over this one
\nsingle event between the U.S. and Japan.\"<\/p>\n
Asked to clarify what she meant by dampening effect, she said:
\n\"It will have an impact on Japan's ability among ministries to
\nput together positions as they go towards Osaka.\"<\/p>\n
The U.S. is set to impose 100 percent tariffs on Japanese
\nluxury car imports in retaliation for Japan's failure to agree on
\nmeasures to open its car and car-parts markets.<\/p>\n
Japan has taken the United States to the World Trade
\nOrganization over its unilateral measure.<\/p>\n
Kristoff said Malaysia, which she visited prior to her trip
\nhere, was among Asian nations that have expressed concern that
\nthe U.S.-Japan auto dispute would have an impact on their auto
\ntrade.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/apec-dialogue-sought-to-speed-up-tariff-free-trade-1447893297",
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