RI to include experts in WTO negotiation team<\/p>\n
Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government is planning to appoint several experts as
\nmembers of the national negotiating team for the World Trade
\nOrganization's (WTO) round talks, according to a senior official
\nat the trade and industry ministry.<\/p>\n
\"The appointment of the experts is part of our efforts to
\nstrengthen our position in the upcoming WTO round talks,\" Herry
\nSoetanto, director for multilateral cooperation told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
He refused to name the experts, but sources said the ministry
\nhad proposed three names to President Megawati Soekarnoputri for
\napproval: noted economists Djisman Simandjuntak, Mari Pangestu
\nand former Indonesian ambassador to the WTO Hasan Kartadjoemena.<\/p>\n
Herry said that the appointment of the experts was in line
\nwith the government's plan to revise existing presidential decree
\nNo.18\/2001, signed by former president Abdurrahman Wahid, on the
\nnational negotiating team for the WTO talks.<\/p>\n
\"We hope the new decree can be issued before June this year,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The national team of negotiators for the WTO round talks will
\nbe chaired by Minister of Industry and Trade Rini M. Soewandi, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Herry said several directors general from all departments
\nwould be included as new team members.<\/p>\n
Halida Miljani, who is a senior official at the ministry, will
\ncontinue her function as the country's ambassador to the WTO.<\/p>\n
The current WTO negotiation team, formed during the
\nAbdurrahman administration, as well as the previous ones,
\nconsisted of only government officials and the representative of
\nthe Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. And none of the
\nteams included experts.<\/p>\n
Nongovernmental organizations (NGO) have often criticized the
\ncountry's WTO negotiation team for its \"poor\" performance during
\nWTO meetings.<\/p>\n
They also blamed the teams for failing to articulate the
\npeople's interest during the meetings.<\/p>\n
The 142 member countries of the WTO agreed last year in Qatar
\nto launch the Doha round talks to lower barriers to trade in
\ngoods, services and agricultural products.<\/p>\n
The WTO members have started meetings in Geneva to prepare for
\nthe Doha round talks.<\/p>\n
Herry said the preparatory meeting would last for several
\nmonths and he predicted the WTO members would start talking about
\ntrading issues in June this year.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is now being represented by Halida during the
\npreparatory talks, while the national negotiating team will leave
\nfor Geneva shortly before the trade talks begin.<\/p>\n
The WTO has given its members until June this year to submit
\ntheir position regarding the service sector, which the world's
\ntrade body seeks to liberalize, he said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian team will state the country's position
\nregarding the service issue during the meeting, Herry said, but
\nhe refused to provide details.<\/p>\n
Developing countries mostly seek to protect their service
\nsector from foreign investors for fear of the sector being
\ndominated by companies from developed countries.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-to-include-experts-in-wto-negotiation-team-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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