APEC meeting opens with different views<\/p>\n
By Riyadi<\/p>\n
MONTREAL (JP): Eighteen Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
\n(APEC) trade ministers opened their two-day annual meeting here
\nThursday with developed and developing economies differing on
\nwhat were priorities.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and other developing economies want developed
\nmembers to open their markets faster to give more access to
\ndeveloping countries' products.<\/p>\n
But developed members, led by the United States, want greater
\nconcessions from developing members to commit more to sectoral
\nliberalization.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's minister of industry and trade, Tunky Ariwibowo,
\nsaid members should give more concessions to developing economies
\nto help them catch up.<\/p>\n
"If they open their markets wider for developing members'
\nproducts, they help speed up their development, which will in
\nturn provide a larger market for their goods," Tunky said.<\/p>\n
To achieve this, developed economies should commit to
\nstrengthening economic and technical cooperation and trade
\nliberalization, Tunky said.<\/p>\n
The meeting will discuss four key issues. These are the
\nprivate sector's role, the facilitation and liberalization of
\ntrade and investment and ties with the World Trade Organization
\n(WTO).<\/p>\n
The meeting is the first in a series of ministerial meetings
\nCanada will host to provide impetus for APEC's work in the lead
\nup to the APEC Ministerial and Economic leaders meeting in
\nVancouver from Nov. 22 to Nov. 25.<\/p>\n
"One of Canada's priorities in 1997 is to maintain the focus
\non, and momentum of, APEC's trade and investment agenda and
\nsupport the ongoing work of the WTO," Canada's International
\nTrade Ministry said.<\/p>\n
A Canadian official said the ministers would review individual
\naction plans tabled in Manila last year and discuss further trade
\nliberalization and facilitation.<\/p>\n
The ministers would discuss tariff and nontariff barriers and
\nsectoral liberalization, he said.<\/p>\n
Delegation sources said the United States might pursue the
\nliberalization of the chemical sector, after successfully getting
\nliberalization commitments on information technology and basic
\ntelecommunications in Manila last year.<\/p>\n
The APEC agreement on information technology paved the way for
\nseveral countries to adopt the information technology agreement
\n(ITA) in the first WTO ministerial meeting in Singapore last
\nDecember.<\/p>\n
"Though it would be difficult to repeat the success of the
\nITA, we are anxious to look at all possibilities that will enable
\nus to move the process forward," the official said.<\/p>\n
But Tunky doubted an sectoral liberalization agreements could
\nbe reached in just two days.<\/p>\n
"We will discuss only the general principles on sectoral
\nliberalization but will not reach any agreement on liberalization
\nof any sector," Tunky said.<\/p>\n
Trade facilitation will also be on the agenda, especially the
\nharmonization of customs procedures, standards and conformance.<\/p>\n
The ministers will also discuss proposals put forward by the
\nAPEC Business Advisory Council, which represents the private
\nsector.<\/p>\n
Its proposals include private sector participation in
\ninfrastructure development.<\/p>\n
"They have a project proposal called APEC Voluntarily
\nInvestment Principles, a sort of investment agreement on specific
\nprojects, rather than on general matters," the official said.<\/p>\n
The advisory council said APEC should promote business
\nmobility by developing something like a visa-free smart card so
\nbusinesspeople from APEC economies could travel more easily.<\/p>\n
Australia, the Philippines and South Korea have agreed to
\npioneer the effort.<\/p>\n
The director general of foreign economic relations, Soemadi
\nBrotodiningrat, said Indonesia would have no problem with such a
\nproposal because it already provided visa-free facilities to
\nvisitors from almost all APEC nations. (rid)<\/p>",
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