APEC forum aims to reduce region's disparity<\/p>\n
By Medyatama Suryodiningrat & Prapti Widinugraheni<\/p>\n
MANILA (JP): Realizing the importance of equitable regional
\ngrowth, ministers at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
\nforum yesterday issued a declaration aimed at reducing the
\nregion's economic disparities.<\/p>\n
In an extraordinary move at the end of their two-day joint
\nministerial meeting, the ministers released the Declaration on
\nAsia-Pacific Cooperation, Framework for Strengthening Economic
\nCooperation and Development.<\/p>\n
The declaration stood separate to the joint ministerial
\nstatement.<\/p>\n
"We consider it very important in order to help reduce
\ndisparities among APEC members," Indonesian Coordinating Minister
\nfor Production and Distribution Hartarto said here yesterday.<\/p>\n
The four-page declaration also cites sustainable and equitable
\ngrowth and the improvement of people's economic and social well-
\nbeing as APEC's goals.<\/p>\n
APEC comprises Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong
\nKong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New
\nGuinea, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan,
\nThailand, and the United States.<\/p>\n
APEC strives for cooperation in economic and technical
\ndevelopment.<\/p>\n
Ministers laid down six main priorities in the declaration: to
\ndevelop human capital, strengthen economic infrastructure,
\ndevelop safe, stable and efficient capital markets, harness
\ntechnologies for the future, safeguard quality of life through
\nenvironmentally sound growth and strengthen the dynamism of small
\nand medium enterprises.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, who also attended the
\nmeetings, stressed this cooperation would be done under the
\nprincipals of mutual respect, mutual benefit, mutual assistance
\nand with respect to each nation's sovereignty.<\/p>\n
In yesterday's meeting, Alatas told other APEC ministers that
\neconomic and technical cooperation, as stipulated in the
\ndeclaration, was equally important as the facilitation and
\nliberalization of trade and investment.<\/p>\n
He described them as the three wheels of APEC's tricycle.
\n"Liberalization without economic and technical cooperation will
\nnot produce results that can be equitably enjoyed by all.<\/p>\n
"We believe that without this cooperation the APEC tricycle
\nwould move forward with one wheel missing, and thus would not be
\nable to move into the next millennium with the intended speed, or
\nworse, not even reach the gate of the 21st Century," he said.<\/p>\n
WTO<\/p>\n
In a lengthy 93-point joint statement, the ministers stressed
\ntheir support for the first World Trade Organization ministerial
\nconference in Singapore next month.<\/p>\n
"Ministers agreed that the Singapore Ministerial Conference
\nshould take concrete actions to strengthen the multilateral
\nsystem," the statement read.<\/p>\n
APEC ministers also eluded to the fact that two APEC members
\n-- China and Taiwan -- were not members of the WTO and expressed
\nsupport for their membership.<\/p>\n
"Hopefully everyone realizes that all will benefit from an
\nincreased (WTO) membership," Alatas said.<\/p>\n
Apart from membership issues, Hartarto warned during the
\nmeeting that APEC's WTO discussions should stay away from the so
\ncalled "new-issues".<\/p>\n
"I think we are all aware that such issues as labor standards,
\nmultilateral investment agreements and government procurement are
\ncontroversial issues which will only divide rather than unite us.<\/p>\n
"Instead of offering opportunity for APEC to contribute to
\nWTO, such contentious and extraneous issues could run the risk of
\nspoiling the APEC process," he said.<\/p>\n
On the question of an information technology agreement,
\nministers only "noted with satisfaction" senior officials'
\npreparatory discussion on the proposed agreement.<\/p>\n
The U.S. had been pushing for an information technology
\nagreement to be brought by APEC to the WTO, suggesting a complete
\nreduction of tariffs in the sector by the year 2000.<\/p>\n
On the possibility of an accord on the liberalization of
\ninformation technology, Minister Hartarto said two factors must
\nweigh in the interest of developing countries. These were
\nflexibility for product coverage and a looser time frame.<\/p>\n
U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshevsky maintained
\nWashington had never made such a proposal.<\/p>\n
"What the U.S. has consistently sought from APEC is the
\npolitical will to conclude an agreement by (the WTO meeting in)
\nSingapore. That is the commitment needed," she said.<\/p>\n
APEC ministers endorsed efforts at the WTO meeting to conclude
\nan information technology agreement.<\/p>\n
Barshevsky said she was satisfied and called the forum's
\nposition significant because "it is the first time APEC has taken
\na stand on a WTO trade negotiation."<\/p>\n
As for zero tariffs by the year 2000 and coverage of
\ninformation technology products, Barshevsky said it would all be
\n"taken care of in (WTO headquarters) Geneva."<\/p>\n
The joint ministerial statement reiterated the decision to
\nannounce new APEC members in 1998.<\/p>\n
Alatas said Indonesia strongly supported the inclusion of
\ndeveloping countries in the forum.<\/p>\n
"It is unrealistic to expect APEC to add many members but at
\nleast some developing countries like Vietnam, Peru and Colombia,
\nshould be shown solidarity by Indonesia and other developing
\ncountries," he said.<\/p>\n
Ecuador, Macau, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Panama and
\nRussia are also interested in joining APEC.<\/p>\n
APEC leaders hold their fourth annual meeting in Subic
\ntomorrow.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's President Soeharto is scheduled to arrive here
\ntonight. After attending the APEC meeting he will hold talks with
\nPhilippine President Fidel V. Ramos and Chinese Premier Li Peng.<\/p>",
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