Improving business role in APEC to be discussed<\/p>\n
MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP): Representatives of Australian and
\nNew Zealand industry will meet here this week to discuss a
\ngreater role for business in the development of the Asia Pacific
\nEconomic Cooperation (APEC) process.<\/p>\n
The meeting precedes next month's inaugural meeting in Jakarta
\nof the Asia Pacific Business Network, which will bring together
\nbusiness leaders from APEC countries to seek closer cooperation
\nbetween business and government in the APEC process.<\/p>\n
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Harold
\nClough said Sunday that the network would specifically address
\nthe issues of reducing all forms of trade barriers, harmonizing
\npractices affecting business and, in particular, investment.<\/p>\n
It would also discuss how APEC could provide regionally for
\nthe improved development and networking of small to medium
\nenterprises.<\/p>\n
\"In addition, the meeting will examine how business considers
\nAPEC fits into the context of other regional bloc development and
\nthe overall global trading and investment climate,\" Clough said
\nin a statement.<\/p>\n
He also endorsed a call last week for greater business
\ninvolvement in APEC by Prime Minister Paul Keating who said the
\nEuropean Community was very much driven in its early days by
\nbusiness demands for freer trade and investment.<\/p>\n
\"To date, business has been far less influential in the APEC
\nprocess, with the running being taken almost entirely by
\ngovernments,\" Clough said.<\/p>\n
APEC groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Hong Kong,
\nIndonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New
\nGuinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the
\nUnited States, and, from November 1994, Chile.<\/p>\n
Keating in February 1993 proposed that APEC, with a population
\nof two billion producing 40 percent of world exports, integrate
\nas a common market, harmonizing trade and investment rules and
\nindustry standards.<\/p>\n
Free trade<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keating was quoted yesterday as
\nsaying that Asia-Pacific countries should lead the world in
\nfreeing trade and push trade liberalization measures through
\nAPEC.<\/p>\n
In an interview with The Australian newspaper published
\nyesterday, Keating said APEC could be used to force the European
\nUnion (EU) back into negotiations for freer global trade.<\/p>\n
Keating said the formation of APEC and its talk of freer trade
\nhad forced the EU towards the successful conclusion of the
\nUruguay round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
\n(GATT).<\/p>\n
\"The only thing that will get them to another round is if they
\nthink we're developing the modalities for freer trade ourselves,\"
\nKeating told the newspaper. \"They wouldn't have come to the last
\nround without APEC.\"<\/p>\n
\"I don't think the Europeans would have come in the end if
\nthey didn't think we were up to no good down here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The newspaper said Keating wanted the APEC heads of government
\nmeeting, to be held in Bogor, Indonesia, in November to embrace
\naggressively a trade liberalization agenda for the region.<\/p>\n
\"This means moving from the trade facilitation issues pursued
\nat last year's APEC meeting to trade liberalization issues in
\nIndonesia in November,\" the newspaper said.<\/p>\n
Keating also reiterated his support for simply freer trade
\nwithin APEC rather than an exclusive free trade block.<\/p>\n
Asked if APEC was pursuing an exclusive free trade bloc,
\nKeating said: \"No, we are after freer trade.\" He added he was
\nconfident that APEC would change its name at the Indonesia
\nleaders' meeting to the Asia-Pacific Economic Community.<\/p>\n
The Australian also reported that a further APEC leaders'
\nmeeting had been penciled in for Japan next year.<\/p>",
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