APEC ministers shy away from deadline plan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Ministers of the Sixth Asia Pacific Economic
\nCooperation (APEC) forum expressed their resounding support for
\ntrade liberalization yesterday, but fell short of asserting a
\ncommon deadline for the process.<\/p>\n
\"Liberalization of trade and investment supported by
\ndevelopment cooperation is the effective way to bring about
\nprosperity in our region,\" said Indonesia's Coordinating Minister
\nof Trade and Industry Hartarto, who chairs the conference.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the commencement of the APEC Ministerial Meeting
\nat the Jakarta Convention Center yesterday, Hartarto called on
\nmember economies to work towards a vision through which trade and
\ninvestment would flow freely.<\/p>\n
\"Let us therefore sit together and in an atmosphere of
\ncordiality and partnership try our best to achieve a unanimous
\nagreement,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When questioned by journalists later on how much trade can
\nreally be liberalized, Hartarto said only that it is still being
\ndiscussed.<\/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>\n
U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher said that for his
\ncountry, trade liberalization is more than an economic
\nimperative; it is a centerpiece of American foreign policy.<\/p>\n
\"If we take concrete steps to advance that vision in
\nIndonesia ... we can seize an historic opportunity to lift the
\nlives and standards of all our peoples,\" Christopher said.<\/p>\n
APEC economic leaders will convene in the Bogor Presidential
\nPalace on Tuesday with the issue of a trade liberalization
\ntimetable expected to be high on the agenda.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, ministers refused to comment yesterday on
\nwhether they would be endorsing a similar timetable for a joint
\nministerial statement to be released later today.<\/p>\n
A number of delegates, who refused to named, said that much of
\nyesterday's discussion on the timetable deadline drew varying
\nresponses from almost all members.<\/p>\n
Despite the debates inside the meeting room, U.S. Secretary of
\nCommerce, Ron Brown, told The Jakarta Post that progress will be
\nmade on this issue.<\/p>\n
\"I really expect that progress will be made in a progress
\ntowards a free trade area,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Cooperation<\/p>\n
China's Vice-Premier Qian Qichen said that apart from the
\nissue of trade liberalization, it is important for the forum to
\nenhance cooperation in order to reduce economic gaps among
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
\"APEC's areas of cooperation should be more comprehensive and
\nextensive,\" he said<\/p>\n
At the meeting, Christopher proposed several ideas, including
\nthe establishment of a permanent Asia Pacific Business Forum with
\nthe aim of improving efficiency and expanding trade in APEC.<\/p>\n
He also called on APEC to develop an education foundation to
\nhelp reinforce human resources development.<\/p>\n
Furthermore he proposed that an APEC transportation ministers
\nmeeting be held to facilitate further economic growth.<\/p>\n
Agenda<\/p>\n
Hartarto said that the meeting yesterday finalized seven of
\nits 13 planned agenda items, among others, an ad hoc group on the
\nEconomic Trends and Issues (ETI), trade and investment issues and
\nhuman resources development and reports of the Eminent Persons
\nGroup and the Pacific Business Forum.<\/p>\n
The significant achievements of the meeting were the
\nendorsement of the APEC Non-Binding Investment Principles of the
\nCommittee on Trade and Investment (CTI), adoption of the draft
\ndeclaration on a human resources developments framework for APEC
\nand another endorsement of a transformation of an ad hoc group on
\neconomic trends and issues into a committee, he said.<\/p>\n
Alatas, who joined Hartarto in the briefing yesterday, said
\nthat with the ad hoc group transformation, APEC has now three
\nfull-fledged committees. The first two are the committee on trade
\non trade and investment and the committee on budget and
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
The adoption of the draft declaration on human resources has a
\nspecial meaning for Indonesia because it was originally proposed
\nby that country, he said.<\/p>\n
Visiting officials told the Post that the meeting spent a lot
\nof time just to discuss the reports of the Eminent Persons Group
\nand the Pacific Business Forum.<\/p>\n
Today's meeting is expected to finalize seven agenda items,
\nincluding the commercial infrastructure, APEC's vision and work
\nprograms, as well as the joint statement of the sixth APEC
\nministerial meeting. (pwn\/pan\/fhp\/mds)<\/p>\n
Clinton -- Page 11<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/apec-ministers-shy-away-from-deadline-plan-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }