APEC officials mired in tricky negotiation<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Official-level talks aimed at securing a
\nAPEC free trade plan dragged on into an unscheduled third session
\non Thursday with fish and forestry products still the main
\nsticking point for Japan.<\/p>\n
\"In the case of forestry and fisheries products Japan is one
\nof the economies having some difficulty,\" Hong Kong director-
\ngeneral of trade Alan Lai told reporters earlier during a break
\nin official-level talks.<\/p>\n
Japanese officials confirmed there had been no concrete
\nprogress but declined to go into details.<\/p>\n
A Thai delegate emerging from the afternoon session of the
\nclosed-door talks said the delegates from the 18 members as well
\nas new members Vietnam, Russia and Peru were desperately seeking
\na compromise.<\/p>\n
\"We have to... find flexibilities,\" he said, in a reference
\nto a possible delayed timeframe for Japan to slash tariffs in the
\nfisheries sector.<\/p>\n
Another ASEAN official said southeast Asian countries would
\nnot insist that Japan open up the sector.<\/p>\n
\"The fight is really between Japan and the United States
\nleading the pack of New Zealand, Australia etcetera,\" she said,
\nadding the Americans were being \"unfair\".<\/p>\n
Fisheries is one of nine products targeted under an early
\nliberalization scheme scheduled to start next year.<\/p>\n
Fearing a backlash from Japanese fisherman, Tokyo is reluctant
\nto cut tariffs on fish and related products. Japan is also
\ndragging its feet in the area of forestry products ranging from
\nstationery to furniture.<\/p>\n
\"The APEC vision is one thing but it's quite another to put
\nyour money where your mouth is,\" said Malaysia's Abdul Razak
\nRamly, who left the meeting he was chairing to give a belated
\nnews briefing.<\/p>\n
\"There is one economy which is having political difficulties
\nbut we all have difficulties... We would focus on building the
\npackage with the end view that everyone is in,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The talks continued amid accusations that Japan was engaging
\nin checkbook diplomacy to buy support for its attempt to water
\ndown the liberalization plan, a charge Japan denied.<\/p>\n
\"We have been saying we cannot accept tariff abolition in
\nforestry and fish products, but we have never tied it to our
\nfinancial assistance,\" a Japanese official told AFP.<\/p>\n
\"We are not saying this issue should passed in exchange for
\nfinancial assistance,\" he added.<\/p>\n
While Malaysia's Razak declined to comment on details of the
\nnegotiations, he said the aim was still to come up with a
\ncredible package on trade liberalization.<\/p>\n
\"If we'd (allowed exemptions) before then we wouldn't be where
\nwe are now,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Japan faces a tough fight to defend its fish and forestry
\nindustries.<\/p>\n
Leaders of the Japanese government and ruling Liberal
\nDemocratic Party (LDP) have refused to budge on demands by the
\nUnited States, Australia and other nations for early
\nliberalization in the two sensitive sectors.<\/p>\n
The conservative party needs to prevent the free trade drive
\nfrom filtering down into more politically sensitive domestic
\nfarming sectors, including the nation's staple of rice, experts
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"Farming and fisheries lobby groups provide a large well of
\nvotes for the LDP, which sees no reason to offend its support
\nbase,\" said Tokai University politics professor Fukuji Taguchi.<\/p>\n
The party needs more sensitivity than ever to the demands of
\nits rural supporters after suffering a staggering defeat in
\nparliamentary elections four months ago, in which it was hit by
\nstring of losses in urban areas.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/apec-officials-mired-in-tricky-negotiation-1447893297",
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