APEC to move quickly on crisis<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AP): Pacific Rim nations will act quickly over the
\nnext 10 months to produce a credible response to the economic
\ncrisis, while moving forward on trade liberalization, an official
\nsaid Tuesday.<\/p>\n
With a shorter-than-usual time frame between annual Asia
\nPacific Economic Cooperation summits, "we are getting moving
\nquickly on dealing with the social impacts of the crisis," said
\nTimothy Hannah of New Zealand, the new executive director of the
\nAPEC Secretariat.<\/p>\n
Building employment and taking care of the poor are very
\nimportant, Hannah said in a briefing for diplomats and
\njournalists about the work APEC will do before the leaders'
\nmeeting next September in Auckland.<\/p>\n
For example, he said, Chile and Mexico have already initiated
\na program to help APEC member nations reform pension funds.<\/p>\n
Hannah said that the attitude of leaders at the APEC meeting
\nin Kuala Lumpur in November "proves that obvious protectionism
\nhas not taken hold, as might be expected when times are bad."<\/p>\n
APEC's response to the crisis is "to focus on capacity
\nbuilding to support structural changes needed to strengthen
\nmarkets and proceed to recovery."<\/p>\n
He said there are no targets for reducing unemployment rates
\nor raising certain numbers of people from poverty, but APEC
\ncountries would share ideas, work to reduce restrictions on
\ntrade, and ease the environment for cross-border business.<\/p>\n
New Zealand, which chairs the group until next September, will
\npush for progress on mutual recognition of food standards within
\nAPEC, he said. Also, priority will be given to small and medium
\nbusinesses, seen as the major driving force in many Asia-Pacific
\neconomies.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/apec-to-move-quickly-on-crisis-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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